Artemis Fowl 1 Rewrite
by Childhood Continues
Summary: I have written a new version of the Artemis Fowl serise. I have edited out parts of the original that have not been changed in my version. What darkness lays within Jack's mind... and past? And who is the German barmaid Butler makes vague references to?
1. Book 1 Rewrite

**Excerpt from Jackie Mannheim's Computer Diary: encrypted**

I would be lieing if I said I like Artemis Fowl. He is arrogant and too smart for his own good. I would never go to his house if it weren't for Juliet Butler, my best friend who works for Art's mother. Juliet and I started hanging out when she noticed I look like the lead singer from her favorite band, Rivalry. From the moment I walked through the door of Fowl Manor, Artemis and I detested each other.

That hatred only strengthened last night, but Juliet just told me it started a few months ago. Artemis and I were contestants for a contest to design Dublin's new opera house…

**Dublin, Ireland **

Artemis Fowl and his companion/bodyguard, Butler, sat in the old Dublin Theater. They were wearing their best suits which came from the best tailor in Europe. All around them where others dressed in the best fashions available to them, whether that be a pair of jeans with no holes and a polo shirt or an elegant ball gown. They were all contestants in a contest to design the new Dublin Theater. Artemis was certain he was the winner. After all, who could compete with a mind such as his?

A sudden twitch of annoyance made the boy look at a young girl about his age with red hair and green flame eyes (of which Butler noticed was wearing a beautiful sapphire dress) that was seated three rows up and two seats over. Her name was Jackie Mannheim. She was an American who had recently moved into Ireland's child services. Even though she, like Artemis, was just twelve years old, she never seemed to have an adult around her. Artemis new her to be an orphan, and even knew who her foster mother was. And yet, the girl had a strange freedom to do as she wished, when she wished. As if she was an adult.

Mannheim was also the one person that did present a challenge to Artemis. She was just as intelligent and clever as Artemis, but wasted it on foolish things that were good for everyone. She had made herself quite an adversary to Artemis. She was enough of a challenge that for this contest, Artemis had hacked into her computer and stolen her blueprints. He then melded the plans with his own blue prints and submitted them.

With a small smile, young Artemis returned his attention to the host.

"And so, with no further ado, I am pleased to announce that the winning blueprints and the one hundred thousand dollars prize go to…" The man looked at the card that he had just been handed. "Jackie Rene Mannheim!"

Applause broke out and copies of the winning blueprints were projected on the wall behind the stage. Artemis frowned as the girl rose from her seat and stepped up to the stage. For half a second the children's eyes met. The narrowing of the eyes from both parties was clear. This wasn't over.

Someone gave Jackie a box to stand on so she could reach the microphone on the podium.

"Thank you all. I must say, I am surprised."

_You are not the only one_, Artemis thought.

"All the contestants came up with wonderful ideas," Jackie continued. "I have had a lot to contend with here." While she remained cheerful a slight edge came into her voice and her eye flitted to Artemis as she said this. With the barest hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth the continued, "I had actually come up with two designs, but thanks to today's technology I cannot remove the other from my computer!"

The audience laughed at the joke, but Artemis just frowned again. She didn't fool him with the well timed gag. The computer blueprints were a decoy. She had _expected_ him to cheat! And worst of all, he had fallen for it!

"Nevertheless, I feel that these plans will be better than anyone expected." She removed a laser pointer from a hidden pocket and pointed at several key points on the projection of her plans. "As you can see, because of the precise arch of the ceiling, there will be no sound difference from the front row to the balcony. Furthermore, this tiny curve going towards the stage will insure that sound does not break past the safe decibel range."

Jackie Rene Mannheim continued to explain small details as Butler removed his phone from his pocket.

"What is it, Butler?" Artemis asked quietly.

"E-mail, sir. We have a hit in Ho Chi Min City."

"Excellent. At least the day isn't a total loss."

As Butler packed their things later that night, Artemis could hear the giggles of two girls. One of the girls was Butler's little sister, Juliet. The sixteen year old was acting as Artemis's mother's servant. What really bothered Artemis was the second girl: none other than Jackie Mannheim herself! Jackie and Juliet had been friends since the American had come to the country nearly two years before. Because of this, Jackie was around far more than Artemis would have liked. Butler never minded her presence, for reasons that he would not divulge, and this irritated Artemis even more.

"I should have known that those plans were a decoy," Artemis grunted.

"Stop beating yourself up, sir," Butler said. "What's a hundred thousand pounds to you?"

"I suppose you're right, Butler."

"Is losing really what's bothering you? Or is it who you lost to?"

The question wasn't answered, but the oversized body guard didn't expect one.

**Ho Chi Minh City**

Artemis and Butler followed Nguyen Xuan to a poor lane lined with beggars on rice mats. Most of the residents on this lane had nothing to spare, with the exception of four. Butler looked down the lane and saw a young pre-teenage girl on a cell phone. Her red hair seemed almost iridescent in the dark ally and her green eyes appeared to be bits of burning sulfur. Jackie Mannheim had not yet noticed them, but her presence more than intrigued Butler. Was she following them? If so why? Would it be because of… _her_?

Artemis smiled, but did not notice Jack, who was getting closer.

"Butler," Artemis said, "pay our friend. In full. Remember Mister Xuan, this is between us. You don't want Butler to come back, do you?"

"No Master Fowl. My lips are sealed."

Butler could hear Jack's voice as he handed over the twenty thousand American dollars.

"I'm just visiting a friend of mine, Ms. Catherine," the girl was saying. "Of course I'm still in Ireland. I'm twelve how could I be otherwise?"

_A very good question_, Butler thought.

Jack finally looked up and made eye contact with Butler.

"Ms. Catherine, I have to go. I'll call you when I get back to Dublin."

The girl quickly dodged into another ally. Butler almost followed when he heard Artemis's voice again.

"Ma'am, I would like to see your book in return for restoring your magic."

Butler felt something brush against him, but when he turned nothing was there aside from a heat haze. Not surprising in the sweltering heat of a Vietnam summer. Still, his solider sense could not help thinking they were being spied on somehow.

"No good to you," the sprite said. "Written in old language."

Butler took the golden book and photographed every picture. He then copied the pictures onto Artemis's phone and emailed them to Fowl Manor. Within half an hour every character was saved in the Fowl computer. Artemis gave the sprite an injection of a virus that would rid her of her alcohol addiction.

"Time to leave," Artemis said. "A hundred years of alcohol leaving the body by any means possible is not a pretty sight."

Butler and Artemis left the ally. Jack appeared quite suddenly next to the fairy's hole and peeked in.

"Baya?"

"Jackie…?"

Jack quickly reached into the hole, pulled out the trembling sprite and vanished into thin air again.

"It's going to be okay, Baya," Jack's voice whispered in the darkness. "It's my turn to take care of you."

**Skipping ahead to just before the time stop is put in place.**

Jack Mannheim was furious. Baya, the Vietnamese sprite, was settled in her closet detoxifying. She didn't know how, but somehow Artemis Fowl had managed to erase the memory of his meeting with the sprite in Vietnam. How did he even find her in the first place? She suddenly felt no qualms talking about it with the boy. He already knew about the People and she wanted to know how!

Plus she was certain he was responsible for her computer contracting a virus, reducing it to only some much chips and wire.

Jack pushed her motor scooter onward into the Fowl property. She could sense it at once. Something was amiss. Heat hazes were scattered about the area and it was a chilled evening. Jack feared the worst as she gunned the throttle.

_What has that boy done now_? she wondered, fearfully.

Jack entered the manor without knocking as she always did. There were no Butlers doing random security checks as was normal, but they could just be checking different areas of the house.

"Fowl!" Jack called. "Get yer ass down here! I gotta bone to pick with you!"

Artemis was in the control room watching Holly weep as she sat on her cot. He was starting to have second thoughts. He didn't expect fairies to look so… human. He also hadn't expected a female, like Mother or Juliet or...

"Damn it Fowl, I'm talkin' to you!"

Jack?

Artemis checked his monitors. His heart sank as he looked at his watch. It had frozen and that meant the time stop was in place. Jack was trapped in here and Artemis did not have the supplies to save her.

Holly knew what was digging into her heel now. It was the acorn. There was hope after all.

"Fowl!"

Holly's ears barely picked up the new voice, but she didn't need to hear it twice to know who it was. Jackie. But why would Jackie be in this house looking for possibly the most evil Mud Boy alive?

For a moment, Holly feared that the teenager's time on the surface with humans had corrupted her, but she shook away that notion at once. Jackie would never turn her back on the People. If only Holly could get her attention…

Artemis bolted out of the study and ran right into Jack. Literally. The collision knocked them both to the floor.

"There you are!" Jack roared as they climbed to their feet. "What did you do to Baya?! How did you find out about her? Furthermore I demand reimbursement for my computer that you destroyed!"

"I don't have time for this Jackie."

"Jack."

"Whatever. We can discuss this tomorrow. Now get out of here while you still can."

"What's that supposed to mean? Art, what is going on? What have you done?"

Artemis gave his best innocent face.

"Done?" Artemis asked.

But Jack saw right through it. She saw the truth in his eyes. Those hazes weren't there because it was a pretty night. Artemis had provoked them somehow.

"Oh gods, Arty… You have got to stop this now. Whatever it is yer doing, stop. You don't know what yer up against here."

"I don't know what you mean."

Artemis was done playing. He had plans that needed tending to. Jack could figure her own way out if she insisted on behaving this way. He made to leave but Jack grabbed his arm and pushed him against the wall.

"You know damn well what I mean. The fairies in the yard! What have you done to…?" Jack glanced into the study and saw Holly on one of the screens. She gasped. "Holly… Art… you didn't…"

By now, Artemis was so full of questions Jack could hear his brain buzzing.

"How do you know about fairies? And how do you know Captain Short?"

But Jack shook her head.

"Yer not gonna get away with this. I'll see to that myself."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Where is she?"

"Do you honestly think…?"

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Jack raised her fist as she aimed a punch. Artemis just smiled. There was no reason to flinch. Butler came out of no where and grabbed her fist. His hand was so massive that it nearly swallowed her arm to the elbow.

"Jack, I don't care if you are my sister's best friend. I will break your arm if I must."

Jack pulled away from him with surprising strength.

"Fine! I'll find Holly myself."

Jack began to walk away.

"Butler, stop her."

Jack wasn't really sure how Butler hit her, but she knew it hurt. She was down in a flash, barely clinging to consciousness.

"Juliet will be furious," Butler noted, his insides churning with guilt over what he had just done.

"She will get over it."

"How can Jack know about the People and Captain Short?"

"That is a very good question. Put her in with the elf. We can talk to her later."

"I think it may be best if Juliet interrogated her. I doubt she will willingly speak to either of us."

Jack came to her senses to find herself on a cot. Someone was slapping her cheek lightly. She could hear her name being called in the distance. Finally she managed to open her eyes. A blurry face was very close to her own. Jack planted a hand on Holly's chest and pushed her away.

"Holly… you know I've got long arm syndrome."

"Glasses might help. Or magic."

"There are more important things to use magic on than a small vision problem. You must be dry or else Art couldn't keep you here. What's going on?"

"I could ask you the same thing. 'Art?' You're on a nickname basis with the Mud Man who's kidnapped me?!"

"Hardly. He hates being called Art so I do it to piss him off. The only reason I'm here now is because the prat did something to Baya and killed my computer!"

Holly buried her face in her hands, oblivious to what she had just been told.

"This is all my fault…"

"How?"

"I… I told him everything… I didn't want to. He… he gave me…"

Unable to get the words out, Holly rolled up her sleeve and showed Jack the puncture wound on her arm. Jack shook her head. Artemis was border-line evil, but this just wasn't his style. Plus, she had seen Baya give him a copy of the Book.

"Holly you can't blame yourself. Artemis just doesn't…"

The door opened. Juliet appeared, still wearing her sunglasses.

"Jack, come with me."

"Juliet, that overgrown brother of yours…"

"Did his job. You were trying to hit Artemis, remember?"

"Badger me not with details."

"Just get up. Please."

Jack stood and followed Juliet. They left Holly in her cell, but Jack gave the elf's hand a squeeze first.

"Artemis wants me to interrogate you. He said you know the elf and about fairies and he wants to know why. Jack, you're my best friend so I'd rather just ask you and you tell me the truth."

"You wouldn't believe it. Hell I barely believe it."

"Jack… Jackie. There's an elf in the basement and even more of them in the yard. I'm not sure there is much I wouldn't believe now. Just tell me the truth."

"Actually, odds are there are more sprites in the yard than elves. You wanna know the truth? Alright then. But I hope you're ready for this. When I was four I was kidnapped from my American orphanage and taken to Haven, the capital of the fairy world. From there I was given fairy magic. Doctor Robin Goodfellow and Vern Howler raised me. The sprite where Fowl got his information was Rob's house keeper. She became an alcoholic when she was sent here for being an accomplice to the experiment."

"Wait… why do I know that name? Robin Goodfellow?"

"Also known as Puck from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. It's required reading in most schools. May we move on? I was part of an experiment. The theory was that humans were inherently good. So I was taken to live among the People and raised as a pixie. I had a slight point added to my ears and a brow implant to make it slightly wider. The experiment was a success, but it was also highly illegal. Uncle… I mean, Dr. Goodfellow and Vern are in prison and I was shipped to Dublin."

"Why didn't they send you back to your parents?"

"No one even knows who they are."

"Why Dublin? Why not go back to America?"

"Foaly did some research and thinks one of my parents may be from the area. Besides, there's more magic here."

"So how did you meet the elf?"

"You make her sound like an animal."

"You know I don't mean to."

Jack ignored her friend's apology.

"Holly was my neighbor. She's like a sister to me."

Juliet was torn. Jack was her friend, but Artemis would be furious if she just let her go. She glanced at the camera and casually turned so her back was to it.

"Jack I'm about to disobey my orders, but you have to help." Jack said nothing. She knew as well as Juliet that Artemis was probably watching them. "I want you to hit me hard just below my left ear. It'll knock me out and then you can get out of here."

"I'm not going anywhere without Holly," Jack said barely moving her lips.

"I can't let you take her and neither can she. Artemis put her eye ball orders not to leave."

"D'Arvit."

"You even know their language."

"Of course I do!" Jack grunted irritably. "I grew up with them!"

"Come on, Jack we haven't much time."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Jack acted like she was walking away. Juliet grabbed her arm and Jack swung at her hitting the spot Juliet told her. The sixteen year old was down in a flash. But she wasn't out. Jack couldn't bring herself to hurt a friend, especially when she was trying to help.

"Just lay there a while. I'll figure a way to stop Art." Jack's lips didn't move as she spoke.

"You can't."

"Shut up. Yer unconscious, remember?"

Artemis hit the intercom button.

"Butler, be advised, Jack has escaped custody. Juliet is down, but appears fine."

"Ten-four. Can you see her on camera?"

"Yes. She's heading to the trophy room."

Butler changed his course. He was not in a hurry because he had already handed over all the stolen LEP weaponry.

A repeating crashing sound made Juliet finally decide to sit up again. She headed for Holly's cell at once. The elf was crashing her bed into the floor.

"What are you doing? Trying to knock the house down?"

"I'm hungry and I'm tired of waving at that stupid camera. Where's Jackie? I wanna see her."

"Don't get your pant… or whatever in a twist. And I can't let you see Jack."

"Why not?"

"She got away. Knocked me out and ran off. And you should know that Jack is my best friend. This isn't easy."

"Oh I can see how this is _so_ inconvenient for you!" Holly's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"What do you fairies eat?" Juliet snapped back.

"Fruit and vegetables. And be sure to wash them. I don't want any of your poison in my blood."

Butler came up behind Jack. Her ears quivered ever so slightly. She spun around, but it was too late. Butler grabbed her around the middle and slung her over his shoulder as if she were a doll. Somewhere deep in her brain Jack could not help be amazed at the man's strength. However, her anger smothered the thought and she beat his shoulder with her fists, which did as much good as trying to chop down a large tree with a herring.

"Put me down you ape!"

"I'm under orders. And you hit Juliet."

"Oh I didn't either. She let me go. We just play acted so Arty wouldn't know."

Butler showed no emotion. He was glad that his sister was okay, but if Artemis found out what Juliet had done he would be very, very cross.

"Artemis wants you at the negotiations."

"Butler you can't think this will work!"

"Artemis hasn't been wrong yet."

"Well he is now!"

Butler took her to the conference room where he tied her to a chair.

"Butler, please."

Butler hesitated then placed his hand on hers, though his hand covered most of her lower arm. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Artemis's voice on the intercom.

"Butler we have a guest. I'll show him in. You get up here and police the surveillance camera."

"On my way."

"Butler please!"

But the manservant left without another word, but his mind was racing.

Soon Jack was joined by Artemis and Commander Root. Artemis received yet another surprise as Root rushed to Jack's side.

"Jack! Are you alright? Where's Holly… er, Captain Short? Is she alright?"

"She's in a concrete cell. She's pissed and disheartened, but fine."

"How do you know each other?" Artemis asked. His tone was calm but it was more of a demand than question.

"That doesn't concern you," Root growled.

"Commander don't!" To Artemis she said. "I've told Juliet everything. She'll give you a full report later. If yer still around to hear it that is."

Root smiled lovingly at Jack, as if he were a doting grandfather. Then he noticed the ashtray on the table. He lit a fungus cigar as he sat.

"Maybe you aren't a complete barbarian after all."

"Humph!" Jack snorted.

Artemis shuffled his notes like a news anchor.

"Here are the facts as I see them," the lad said. "I have the information and means to expose your world, so anything that I ask would be a small price to pay."

Jack began spewing swear words in both Gnomish and English.

"Quiet Jack," Root scolded mildly. He blew several smoke rings before saying, "So what? You'll post it all on the internet?"

"Not at once. Not with the time stop in place that is."

Root choked on a lungful of smoke. Their ace in the hole, gone! Jack too was flabbergasted.

"How did you…?!"

"Quiet Jack," Root repeated. He turned back to Artemis. "Well, if you know about the time stop then you know that you are completely cut off from the outside world. You are, in effect, powerless."

"Let's save some time here. I grow weary of your clumsy bluffs. In case of abduction, the LEP sends a crack team to get back what's been lost. You have done so. Then you enter negotiations. If no solution can be found within eight hours, a bio-bomb is detonated. Contained of course, by the time field."

Root chewed violently on his cigar butt.

"You seem to know a lot about us. I don't suppose you'll tell me how?"

"Correct."

Suddenly Root shot a piercing glare at Jack. Her eyes grew wide under his stare and she shook her head fiercely.

"No! I'd never tell this sadistic cretin about the People. I didn't even know he knew about us…" Her face fell slightly and Artemis saw the perpetual sadness etched into her stunning eyes. "I mean, you until I came here and saw Holly in her cell."

"Miss Mannheim did not inform me on the ways of the People."

Root listened to Artemis, but pretended not to. He touched Jack's hand, barely.

"I know you wouldn't tell sacred secrets," He whispered in Gnomish so Fowl wouldn't hear. "Forgive me."

"What's to forgive?" Jack whispered back.

Artemis cleared his throat loudly. Root smashed his cigar out.

"Alright then, Fowl. What are your demands?"

"Demand. Singular."

He slid a notepad to Root. Jack stretched to see, but couldn't. She bounced in her chair and tried to move closer. Root finally showed it to her.

"A ton of unmarked gold ingots?"

"You cannot be serious," Root said.

"I am."

Jack exploded in laughter. It wasn't so much laughter as a release of emotions.

"You're insane!" she cried. "If you don't release Holly and me… well, Holly at least, the LEP will _kill you_! Juliet and Butler too! Now I don't know about you, but I kinda like those two even if they do work for you and I don't want to see them hurt!"

Artemis looked like he was ready to smack Jack across the room. Root beat him to it by stuffing a biscuit in her mouth.

"Annoying as she can be," Root said, nursing a bite he had just received from Jack with a single blue spark, "she's right. We do not negotiate. Not really. I'm just here to explain the facts."

Artemis smiled his vampire-like smile. "You will negotiate with me, Commander."

"Really? What makes you so special?

"I am special, because I can escape the time field."

Jack choked on her biscuit. Root hit her on the back several times.

"Impossible!" she cried, but Root stuffed another biscuit in her mouth before she could say anything more.

"It can't be done. Stop biting me!"

Jack tried to speak, but couldn't through the biscuit.

"It can be done. Trust me, I haven't been wrong yet."

Root tore the front sheet off the notepad.

"I'm going to have to think about this."

"You have seven and a half hours."

"Master Fowl, you haven't given us very much to trust you with. Why don't you give us Jack on good faith?"

Unfortunately, Jack had swallowed her biscuit. Before Root could shove another in her mouth, she said, "Because there is no good in him! He's an uncouth, manipulative, conniving little prat!"

"I have some questions for Jack."

Root stiffened.

"Torture?"

"I did not say that," Artemis said with a smile. "I merely have some questions for her."

A vein in Root's temple seemed ready to burst.

"Julius," Jack said in Swahili, "I'll be alright. Go."

Artemis was intrigued by her gift of tongues.

"I'll see myself out," Root growled.

"You do that. But remember, none of your people can enter this manor as long as I am alive."

Root touched Jack's cheek. As he left, he realized how slippery Artemis Fowl was. However, the Mud Boy was making a big mistake. He was assuming that Root would play by the rules. You don't get commander stripes from playing things by the book. Time for some unorthodox action.

Root decided to bring in a kleptomaniac dwarf, named Mulch Diggums. Holly managed to escape from her room after breaking through the floor, planting her acorn and mesmerizing Juliet into thinking the blank wall was a television showing twenty four hour wrestling. The dwarf broke into Fowl Manor and recovered the copy of the Book Artemis had procured. But not before…

After Root left, Artemis turned to Jack.

"You sick, depraved monster!"

"I am not a monster, Jackie."

"YOU KIDNAPPED MY SISTER!"

"She's your sister? You are half elf then?"

"Of course not! I'm human. I told everything to Juliet. Ask her. Now either untie me or piss off so I can escape."

Artemis was sure to have eye contact.

"You cannot leave this house."

Jack rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. You act like I have to follow rules. At least Holly can move around her room!"

Artemis left the room. At once Jack began squirming and moving to loosen the ropes that bound her to the chair.

"And to think some people find this kinky," she muttered.

A crash came from beyond the door. It could only mean one thing. Fowl's plan was going wrong somehow. The good guys had returned.

"Hey! I'm in here! Yo! I'm in the library!"

Mulch wagged a finger at a moaning Butler.

"No one takes a body blow from Mulch Diggums and walks away."

"Hey, convict," Root said through Mulch's ear piece, "get out of there. That Mud Man took on an entire retrieval squad."

Mulch gulped and backed away. He ran down the stairs. When he reached the end, he ran into Holly Short.

"Captain Short?"

"Mulch?"

"Hello!" Jack called from the next room. "Hey! I could use a little help in here! Julius! Holly!"

"Jack!"

Holly grabbed Mulch's shoulder and pulled him into the library with her.

"Holly!"

"It's okay Jack. I'm here. Diggums, can you chew through these ropes?"

"Can dwarf gas knock out a seven foot giant?"

"Just do it!"

He hesitated.

"No way. She's human!"

"Do it convict!" Root yelled into Mulch's ear piece.

"Diggums, this is Jackie Mannheim," Holly said.

"Really?" Mulches eyebrows went up. "But what about Spelltropy?"

Jack's eyes lowered and she sniffed. Holly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Jack doesn't have Spelltropy and never did. I don't care what some fairies think. Just untie her. And then, take her with you."

"No way!" Jack cried as Mulch bit off the ropes. "I owe little Arty a smack down!" Jack hesitated and asked. "Where's Juliet?"

"She's in no danger. I mesmerized her so she thinks she is watching twenty four hour wrestling."

Jack smiled and touched the elf's hand.

"Thank you. She's not like most humans, Holly. A bit on the violent side, yes, but she's a good person."

"We aren't out of the woods yet. Jack, they are going to blue rinse the house and I don't know if Commander Root can help you considering you're…"

"Human, I know. I can take care of myself, Holly."

Holly Short wished she could believe Jack, but time was too short to dwell on it.

"Fine. Mulch, go. Jack…" She couldn't finish the statement.

"I'll be okay, Holly." Jack was usually clam. That was one of the signs… "But be careful. Butler took out an entire retrieval squad on his own."

"The equipment?"

"Art's office I assume."

"Interesting…"

Holly faded out of sight as a grin spread across her face. Mulch was tempted to stay. There was nothing better than watching a Recon jock go to town on a bunch of humans, but he had an escape to attend to. He burrowed his way to a family of rabbits, plucked out his iris cam, put it on the rabbit and killed the critter.

"Sorry friend," Mulch thought. Then he screamed, "Cave in! Help!" Then nothing. The bio scans from the iris cam read no pulse or breathing. To the world, Mulch Diggums was dead.

Fowl was not pleased with the happenings, but all was not lost. Captain Short was still his prisoner and time was still on his side. The only X factor was Jackie Mannheim. He would have to find a way to get her out of the house as well. Hopefully Artemis could convince Commander Root to take her, as the elf seemed to have a grandfather type affliction for the girl. If that failed he would have to find a way to take her with him, which could be difficult as she did not trust him.

Just as Argon and Cumulus discovered a way into the house, Commander Root discovered he was suddenly no longer making the calls. Cudgeon had spoken to the Council and was in charge. And he was sending in a troll.

"People told me you would stab me in the back, but I didn't listen. I was a fool."

"This is not about us, Julius. It's about the mission. This troll is our best chance of success."

"It's a dumb animal for heaven's sake!"

"I guarantee you those humans will be begging us to come rescue them."

"And what about Holl… my officer? There is also another hostage in there!"

"The Mannheim girl is hardly worth the trouble. She should have been mind wiped in the first place considering…"

"Jackie had nothing to do with the Spelltropy outbreak and you know it!"

"As for your officer, it is a chance I… the Council is willing to take. Now get the hell out of my way!"

"The credit is all yours, _Commander_."

"See you tomorrow," Foaly called after Cudgeon. "You'll be taking out my trash!"

Root laughed.

"Hit that back stabber where it hurts, Foaly. Right in the ambition. Now, lobby all my supporters on the Council. I want that gold ready when Cudgeon's plan doesn't work."

Holly scaled the great stair case. It was anyone's guess where Jack had run off to. Butler ran down the hall calling for his sister. Holly had to smile. Don't worry. She's having the time of her life. Holly squeezed into the office where Artemis sat, confidence apparently still intact.

"Hello, Captain."

Holly ignored him as she searched for a Neutrino 2000. She found a helmet instead mostly because Jack had appeared out of no where and was holding one out to her. Apparently the girl still had enough magic for a shield. The child's face was pale.

"You need to hear this."

Holly put on the helmet as Artemis said to Jack, "I didn't see you come in."

"Of course not, moron. I was shielded."

"Holly," Foaly's voice said on the helmet. "Take cover! Cudgeon is sending a troll!"

"Something I should know?" Artemis asked.

"Oh no…"

"It's rude to ignore your host, you know."

"Enough is enough!"

Holly swung around and pulled back her fist. Artemis did not flinch. Why would he? Butler was always there in time to…

And that was when he saw Butler on the security video running to the basement.

"That's right, Mud Boy. You're on your own."

With that Holly whacked Artemis right in between his eyes.

"Oof!" Artemis collapsed on his rear end.

"Oh yes! That felt good." She strapped on a helmet. "Foaly, it's Holly."

"Thank the gods! Take cover! They're sending a…"

"I know. I heard."

"You hit me," Artemis said in surprise.

"That's right and there is more where that came from. So stay where you are if you know what's good for you. If you're a good boy, I'll buy you a lollipop when I get back."

"Holly…?"

"Jack, you stay here too."

"But…"

The elf was gone. The door was shut. Holly shot the latch with her blaster, melting the door closed. That way Jack at least wouldn't be killed by a troll. The elf forced herself not to think of the bio bomb. Or Jack's lack of concern for the bio bomb. It was as if the girl wanted… Holly shook her head.

One crisis at a time.

Jack turned to Artemis, who was still on his rear end. She offered him her hand. Stunned by her kindness he took it and she helped him to his feet.

"Thank you. I must say, Jack, you took me by surprise. I wouldn't expect you to be nice to me after…"

Jack punched him in the nose sending him back onto his bottom. She then tried the door only to burn her hand on the metal. She was sealed in with the one person she hated more than anyone else to keep her company. Great. Just great.

She looked at the security camera screen and paled.

"Juliet!"

Artemis grabbed the radio.

Butler did not have time for his sister's mesmer induced fantasy world. He slung her over his shoulder and started for the office.

"Butler, pick up," Artemis called on the radio. "Lollipops!"

"Say again? I thought you said…"

"Never mind. Get out of there! Take cover!"

The military jargon did not sound right on Artemis's tongue.

"Take cover?"

"Yes!"

"Butler please!" Jack's voice called next. "You've got to get Juliet out of there! A troll is coming!"

Butler looked for a place to hide, but the hall offered nothing, so he ducked behind a suit of armor. The front door exploded. As the troll lumbered into the room, Butler felt something he had not known since childhood. Fear.

The creature sniffed the air an immediately turned to Butler's hiding place. It jumped at him and Butler drew his Sig Sauer and fired two shots to the chest and three between the eyes. But evolution had caused dense bone growth in the skull so, while the shots hurt, they did not kill the beast. The troll brought his hand back and swiped it across Butler's chest. Had they been one floor up the creature would have heard Jack screaming.

Butler felt cold pain as the Kevlar tore half a millisecond before his flesh. He knew at once it was a fatal wound. His lung was gone. Juliet, still under the mesmer did not flinch. Holly dove and planted her heels into the beasts head. This did little else than annoy the creature who swatted her away. Holly then flashed it with the high beams of her helmet, but they were off line. She head butted the creature which turned her lights on, temporarily blinding the troll. Holly was swatted into the wall. Her magic would heal her, but her hand landed on Butler. Amazingly, the human male was still alive.

Holly focused and let her magic go to him.

Butler woke, which was surprise unto itself. Then he saw the blue sparks dancing on his chest. He looked at Holly who was crumpled next to him. He pulled away and jumped to his feet. He was more than alive. He was as strong as he was when he was a twenty five year old vying for the attention of a bar maid in Germany. (Good times, dangerous as they were, but more on that in a later tale.) He pulled on the suit of armor next to him, took the mace and turned the creature as it started for Juliet.

Root and Foaly watched in amazement. Artemis and Jack were flabbergasted and could not have torn their eyes from the security screen if they had wanted to. Not that anyone would have given up the chance to see what they were witnessing.

"I'll show you what happens to someone who lays a hand on my sister!"

He took the mace and hit the creature between the shoulder blades. It whirled around but was wary. It had been hurt.

"I warn you," butler said evenly and firmly. "I am armed and will use deadly force if needed."

"Can that thing understand him?" Artemis asked Jack.

"No, but it doesn't need to. It's the tone that's important."

"Step away from the female. Easy now."

The troll roared, but Butler did not waver.

"Yea. Real scary. Now just back out to the door like a good whatever you are."

The troll snorted, miffed by the reaction.

"One step at a time. Nice and slow."

The troll hesitated. Butler struck. He swung the mace for a devastating upper cut. The troll lashed out, but Butler had already moved out of the way. He found his gun and unloaded the rest of the clip into the creature's skull. The beast still did not die but it was badly wounded. Most would feel bad, but Butler had seen too many people mauled by injured animals. Butler changed magazines and placed the gun beneath the creature's chin.

"Let's see how much bone you have here."

"No…" gasped Holly. "Don't."

Butler paused. Juliet was alive. Every synapsis screamed at him to pull the trigger. But Juliet was alive.

"You owe me human."

"Fine, Captain. Fortunately I'm in a good mood."

Butler grabbed the beast and thrust it into the yard.

"And don't come back!"

"Amazing," Root said.

"Tell me about it," agreed Foaly.

"Art," Jack said. "You better add two extra zeros to that man's next pay check."

"Don't worry. I will." Artemis grabbed the radio. "Commander Root, I am assuming you are monitoring all channels."

"Fowl, this is Commander Root. What do you want?"

"I would like to inform you that in spite of your attempted betrayal, I am still willing to negotiate."

"The troll had nothing to do with me. It was done against my wishes."

"The fact is it was done. You have thirty minutes to comply with my demands or I will leave to time field and not take Captain Short or Jackie Mannheim with me."

"WHAT?!"

Jack aimed another punch, but this time Artemis ducked. He held up a hand to silence her, but she had given up anyway. She knew Artemis was no fool. There was something more to this. If only she could figure out what.

_Not that it mattered_, a darker portion of her mind thought.

"You're deluding yourself, human," Root said. "There is no way to escape."

"Are you willing to risk the lives of your officer and a civilian on your hunch?"

When Root responded there was a twinge of defeat to his voice.

"No. I am not. You'll have your gold."

Artemis smiled. The commander was a good actor. Artemis settled into lotus position where he remained. Jack took the opportunity to pocket a blaster and two hand held computers.

"How will you do it Art?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets. Besides I know your concern is not for me, but Juliet."

"And Butler. He just saved Holly. I swear if they die, I will kill you."

"An empty threat and we both know it. If they die, then I will be dead as well."

Butler put three rounds into the door frame. While the door was steel, the frame was porous stone like the rest of the manor and crumpled like chalk. Master Artemis was waiting calmly in the swivel chair and Jack was sitting on the floor next to him entertaining herself by using blue sparks to levitate small books. The books dropped as she looked up at him.

"Nice work, Butler."

"Thank you, Artemis. We almost lost it for a minute there. If it weren't for the captain."

"We saw it, Butler," Jack said softly.

"Healing. One of the fairy powers. I wonder why she did it."

"So do I," Butler agreed softly. "We certainly didn't deserve it."

Jack did not argue but did say, "It's our… their nature."

"Keep the faith, old friend," Artemis said. "The end is in sight. Soon, Jackie and Captain Short will be safely home and we will have the funds to launch our more tasteful enterprises."

"I know. It's just…"

He stopped when he remembered Jack was still in the room but she wasn't listening. (Butler noticed she was wiping away a tear.) Artemis understood Butler's sentiment. Holly had saved them both and yet he was still holding her for ransom. To a man of honor like Butler, it was almost too much to bear.

"The negotiations are over. No harm will befall Captain Short." He looked at Jack and added, "You have my word."

"Like that's worth much. What about Juliet?"

Butler looked at Artemis his expression demanding the same thing.

"She is in no danger."

Jack left the room in a huff, not believing what she was told.

"The fairies will just give us the gold and leave us in peace?" Butler asked.

"No. They will detonate a bio bomb."

Butler started to question, but stopped. There was more to the plan. When he was ready to know, Artemis would tell him.

"I trust you Artemis."

"I know you do."

The responsibility of that trust was etched on the boy's face.

Root used the tranquilizer in his finger to knock out Cudgeon, who had just lost command. No one could prove it wasn't an accident.

"Load up the gold onto the hover trolley. Any trouble and I'll feed you your wings," he barked at Chix Verbil. To Foaly he said, "I want that bio bomb launched the moment Jack and Captain Short are clear. Let's bring them home."

Unknown to those around him, Root's heart stung because he knew Jack would not be allowed to return underground. He was only offering her shelter for the bomb then leaving her on the surface. Alone. Again.

Holly was hovering above everyone.

"Have you old them about the bio bomb?" she asked Artemis.

"Your concern would be touching if it extended to myself. Everything is going according to plan."

"The troll was according to plan?" Jack cried. "Butler nearly dieing? Was that according to the plan?"

"A small blip that is irrelevant to the over all scheme."

Holly turned to Butler.

"Please listen to reason!"

"If Artemis says it's possible than it is."

Another idea came to Artemis.

"Captain Short, I would like a word with you in private."

Artemis led the way to the hall.

"Captain how much would I have to pay for a wish?"

Holly glanced at the trolley.

"What do you have to bargain with?"

Holly and Jack returned to base camp with half the gold. Holly and Jack were not happy that the bio bomb was about to detonate, but try as they might Root would not be dissuaded. All they could do was watch from the below ground monitors.

Butler was surprised that Artemis had returned half the gold. Artemis said it was for the fairy's service. No need to discuss the wish.

Butler knew something was up as he was handed the champagne flute. He could taste the tranquilizer. He would have had plenty of time to sap Artemis's neck before the effects hit, but he did not. There was no need to cause Juliet grief in her final moments. The three sank to the floor.

Root ordered a team into the house, but no one got far before magic sickness kicked in. As amazing and impossible as it was, Artemis Fowl was still alive!

Mulch, for his part in he tale is not over, waited or the guards to be distracted before helping himself to several bars of gold. Then he went back underground.

Jack ran inside the moment the time field collapsed. Her heart sank went she saw Juliet on the floor.

"Juliet!"

She rushed to her friend's side and felt her wrist. The pulse was strong and steady. Jack went to Butler next. His pulse was steady as well. She patted his cheek lightly. After a moment he began to stir.

"Butler, it's Jack. Come on. Wake up."

"Jack?"

"Yea, it's me. Juliet is still asleep. I wanted to get her on the couch but she's too heavy. I need help."

Butler scooped his little sister into his arms and lay her gently on the couch. Jack touched his arm as if testing to see if he was solid.

"I don't believe it… You're okay."

"I can't believe it either."

Jack saw the murderous look in his eye as Butler cast his gaze upon his employer who was coming to.

"Artemis?"

"Father?"

Artemis opened his eyes and saw Butler and Jack before him.

"Artemis, you're awake."

"Ah, Butler. It's you."

He ignored Jack as he sat up. He swayed, expecting Butler's arm to steady him, but the manservant did nothing. Juliet was still sleeping.

"Just sleeping pills, Butler," Artemis said. "Harmless."

"Explain yourself."

"Not now Butler. I'm feeling a bit…"

"Artemis, my sister was almost killed. Explain yourself at once."

Artemis knew he had overstepped his boundaries.

"I did not tell you about the sedatives because you would have fought them. It was imperative that you go to sleep at once."

"Why?"

"Sleep was the only way to escape the time field. The theory was if one was asleep, they would continue with the normal flow of time. The camera in Mother's room proved me correct. She vanished when the time stop began."

"What if she hadn't?" Jack demanded.

"Then I would have surrendered at once and consented to a mind wipe."

He paused so Butler could process the information.

"Well, am I forgiven?"

"Hardly!" Jack said, but the question had not been directed at her.

"Yes, Artemis," Butler said as he smiled at his sister's snoring. The smile was gone in the next second. "But never again. Fairies are too… human."

"I agree. We shall restrict ourselves to more tasteful matters." Jack snorted so Artemis consented. "Legal, I cannot promise."

Another voice joined them.

"Arty?"

Artemis felt his heart stop momentarily. He ran past Jack nearly knocking her to the floor, however, Butler placed a hand on her back to keep her up right. Angeline Fowl was descending the stairs. He had almost forgotten how graceful his mother was. Jack was yelling obscenities in French as she stormed out the front door, but Artemis did not care. He had gotten the wish he had paid for. He ran into his mother's outstretched arms.

"I'm so sorry, Arty."

"For what?"

"Everything. It's time to stop living in the past. Arty… what has happened?"

The woman's eyes took in the damage.

"Remodeling. The door way was riddled with damp."

It was clear his mother was not fooled. "I see. What of school? Have you decided on a career? And who was that girl that just left? She did not look very happy."

"Just one of Juliet's friends. Everything is alright, Mother."

Yes, everything was alright again.

**Excerpt from Jackie Mannheim's computer journal: encrypted**

I'm not sure what to think now. Artemis is an ass, I know that. Seeing that he had regrets was nice to see. At least I know he's human and not a _complete_ monster. While I know Artemis did want his mother back to health, I doubt his asking Holly to heal his Mrs. Fowl was completely selfless. Social Services have been investigating him for a month now. It was only a matter of time before he was put into care like me.

I think Artemis is intending to continue exploiting the People for as long as he can. Fortunately, I think Butler will not allow him to try again. He is a man of honor. It's what I like about him and Juliet. Seeing Butler fight that troll was amazing beyond words. I wish I could be that strong for my family… but I don't have a family. I don't belong here.

Do I belong anywhere?


	2. Book 2 Rewrite

It had been nearly a year and a half since Artemis Fowl first met Jackie Sparrow

**Chapters 1-5**

**Excerpt from Jack Mannheim's computer journal: Encrypted**

Ever since Artemis Fowl the Second kidnapped me and my friend, Captain Holly Short, I have done all I can to avoid the little freak. That's not to say, however, that I avoid Fowl Manor. I spend a lot of time there. I've told Juliet everything. I only gave her the reader's digest version that night, but I explained everything over the past eight months. It's taken her time to adjust, but the great thing about her training as a Butler is her resilience.

Butler has also been great about this entire thing. He has to be strong for his sister of course, but it's more than that. With Juliet gone the past week, I've been hanging out with him. It's really a mark of his character that he doesn't kick me out of the house after I punched Artemis. Plus he makes a good vegetarian spring roll!

**Fowl Manor**

Butler had bulked up a good bit since midterm. With Artemis Fowl the Second away at boarding school, the bodyguard had nothing better to do aside from sparring with his sister and pumping iron at the gym. But he was bored with weight lifting and his sister and Mrs. Fowl were not home. As a result he was not the only one to be bored. Jackie Mannheim, Juliet's friend and a friend of two LEPrecon officers, had been hanging around Butler more often in the past two days.

Butler heard something in the dojo room. A repeated pounding. The house was supposed to be empty so he drew his Sig Sauer and crept down the stairs. He peered around the corner. Jack was punching one of the punching bags with strength he would not have expected to find in her tiny arms. Her face was beet red and punches slowly became more erratic. This was no work out. The girl was venting frustrations.

After a few minutes Jack stopped beating the bag and simply clung to it, she shoulders shaking with not so silent sobs. Butler came up behind her and touched her shoulder. She cried out and spun around.

"What's wrong?"

Jack looked at the floor, self loathing etched across her face.

"Nothing."

"Bull. What's wrong?"

"I… I grew up hearing stories about how horrible humans are."

"Jack, Artemis is…"

"Who said I was talking about him?" She looked at her hands, disgusted with what she was seeing. A tear slipped down her cheek. "I am the very thing I was taught to hate…"

Butler knelt down in front of her and took her by the shoulders.

"Listen to me, Jack. Not all humans are evil and uncaring. Rob Goodfellow set out to prove that and he did." He cradled her cheek in his massive hand. "You are that proof. You are a kind hearted, sweet soul. And I swear to you, there are others like you. You are not alone."

Jack cried for several more minutes, but finally Butler brushed away the last tear and she smiled the smile that was so much like… _hers_.

"By the way, how did you get in here?"

"Your security code is not difficult to figure out."

With nothing better to do, and with one o'clock approaching soon, Butler decided to make lunch for them. He felt it was the least he could do since Artemis had insisted on holding her hostage as well as the female LEPrecon officer, Captain Holly Short, nearly eight months ago. To Butler's eternal dismay, that was the subject of conversation as he grilled the chicken for their salad. He typically did not mind Jack's presence, though he would never admit why (he wasn't even sure it was true yet), but the last thing he wanted to talk about was the fiasco earlier that year.

"I don't blame you, Butler. Juliet too. You guys were following orders."

"Jack… Could we not…?"

"Butler, please. It needs to come out eventually. The fact of the matter is unless something extreme happens, I'm never going to like Artemis. But you saved Holly."

"She saved me first. Besides I was saving Juliet and myself as well."

"And then you spared the troll."

"Because Holly asked me to."

"Butler, shut up. I'm trying to be nice. You did save Holly. That elf is like a sister to me and you saved her."

Butler said nothing. He continued to chop carrots. Most people would be afraid of the bulking man if they saw he had a knife, but Jack was astonishingly undaunted. She touched his arm and he stopped cutting.

"I know you didn't want…"

"You remind me of someone," Butler cut in, in hopes to change subjects.

"Juliet always says I look like the lead singer from the band Rivalry. That's why we started hanging out."

"I was actually referring to someone I knew in Germany."

"Who?"

"She was a bar maid when I was working for the Irish Embassy. I was… very close to her, but I had to abandon her when my cover was compromised. She saved my life, though, and helped me get to West Berlin safely. Her name was Ingrid Schultz…"

Butler was unable to explain further due to an alarm going off. The computer in the kitchen sounded saying Master Artemis had an e-mail. It was a special e-mail account that was for one use only: Information on Artemis Fowl Senior

Butler went to the computer. Jack took advantage of his absence by sneaking a piece of chicken from the pan. She paid for her eagerness with a scorched tongue. Butler ignored her whimper of pain as he watched the video clip that had been sent.

"Oh my…"

"What is it?" Jack asked as the hot chicken's burns were magicked away.

"I have to go."

Butler downloaded the file onto a portable computer, shut off the stove and stuffed the food into the refrigerator.

"Out, Jack. Now!"

"Butler, what is it? Is everything alright? Is it Juliet? Mrs. Fowl?"

"It's Mr. Fowl."

"Artemis? What's that prat done now? Butler!"

Butler took Jack by the collar and forced her out of the house.

"Ow! Butler what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Jack, but I have to go."

He let go of her collar and went to the car.

"Butler!" Jack called as the man got into the car and drove off. "Okay, then… I guess I'll just… go to France or something. Don't worry about me; I can make it back home okay!"

She kicked the driveway pavement irritably and walked to her bicycle, which was tethered to a small tree and started on her way.

Maybe she would stay in France…

It had been two years since Artemis Fowl's father disappeared after a yacht accident. Angeline Fowl, distraught over her son's obsession of finding his father, signed her son up for treatment with the school counselor. You have to feel sorry for him.

The counselor, I mean…

"There's a problem here doctor," Artemis said as he pulled non-existent wrinkles from his shirt.

"And what might that be?"

"The problem is I know all the textbook answers to all the questions you have."

"We do have a problem, but that isn't it."

Artemis nearly smiled. What would it be this time? Pathological liar? Or maybe he had multiple personality disorder.

"The problem is you don't respect anyone enough to treat them as an equal."

The statement threw Artemis. This doctor was smarter than the others.

"That's ridiculous! I hold many people in the highest regard. Albert Einstein. Archimedes. Plato…"

"What about someone you actually know?"

Artemis thought, but no one came to mind. However he spared the need for an answer as his cell phone buzzed. It was Butler, had to be. The manservant was the only person that had the number.

"Yes?"

"Artemis, it's me," Butler said.

"Obviously. I'm rather in the middle of something."

"We've received a message."

"From where?"

"I don't know, but it concerns the Fowl Star."

The Fowl Star was Artemis Sr.'s yacht that went missing. A jolt went through Artemis's spine.

"Where are you?"

"The front gate."

"I'm on my way."

Artemis raced out the door.

Dr. Po whipped his glasses off.

"This session is not over, young man! I'll have to report this to the dean!"

(There's a lot of story so I'll sum up.)

Holly Short found a goblin smuggler with batteries and modified illegal weapons. Naturally, Captain Short assumed Artemis Fowl was to blame. Root ordered her to bring in Fowl and Butler for questioning. She caught them just before they left to save Artemis's father from the Russian Mafiya. When they realized they had the wrong Mud Men, they offered to help Artemis save his father in exchange for finding out who was responsible for trading the batteries. We pick up our tale right after a violent encounter with Luc Carrere, who was dealing the B'wa Kell the things they needed under the mesmer of Cudgeon. But the noise of the encounter had attracted some attention from another star from our last tale. Someone who went to France out of boredom.

**Chapter 6**

Butler ripped open the Parisian's shirt, placing his palm over his heart and his thumb on his jugular.

"Don't worry. I'm a doctor. There's been an accident."

"Hello," a distant voice called. "Is everyone alright?"

"I don't remember an accident."

"Trauma. It's normal. I'm gonna check your vitals. I need to ask a few questions to check for a concussion. Is your name Luc Carrere?"

"Yes."

"Yo!" The voice was closer now.

"Have you ever sold batteries to a mystery buyer?"

"No."

His pulse shot up. He was lying.

"Butler?"

Butler looked up. The person attached to the voice was none other than Jackie Mannheim! He turned his attention back to Luc. He had a job to do and could worry about Jack later.

"Have you ever had dealings with goblins?"

"What? No!"

Luc's pulse was steady again.

Butler stood and faced Jack.

"What are you doing here?" they asked each other at the same time.

"Butler," Holly called over the ear piece, "get her out of there!"

"Come on!"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

"Let go of me, you overdeveloped ape!"

"You're coming with me. Captain Short's orders."

"Holly's here?"

"Hey doc, don't leave me here."

No one paid Luc any attention.

**Chapter 7**

Artemis and Jack were less than thrilled to see each other again. However they temporarily put aside their differences as Holly filled her in on the day's events. Then, Holly took the humans back to Haven. Commander Root was angry that they lost fairy technology, but was relieved to know Foaly had placed self destruct on everything. He called off the alert, but Artemis could keep quiet no longer.

"Doesn't anyone think this was too easy?"

Root scowled, but strangely Jack, of all people, came to Artemis's aide.

"He's right. What if there are more mesmerized humans up there?"

Root did not like Fowl, but for reasons unknown to most he did like Jack. However, he _really_ did not like it when the children agreed because that usually meant that they were right. But it was so outlandish!

"Quiet Jack," he growled before turning to Artemis. "Look Fowl you've done what we asked of you. There will be a major investigation, but that's not your problem. So don't you worry your juvenile head about it. Concentrate on growing some bristles."

Jack made no attempts to hide her giggles while she made a point to stick out her chest. Unlike Artemis, Jack had begun to blossom over the past eight months. Foaly interrupted before Artemis could respond harshly.

"About Russia," the centaur said, hurriedly placing himself between Jack and Artemis.

"Oh, you're no fun anymore," Mikala said imitating the line from Monty Python's Flying Circus.

"I have a lead," the Foaly said over her.

"You traced the e-mail?"

"How? It was spiked."

Foaly chuckled.

"Honestly! You humans still use land lines! All I had to do…"

"Foaly," Jack cut in, "We don't have time for a computer lesson. Get on with it."

"Right. Every computer leaves a signature. Networks leave micro traces, depending on age."

Butler was growing impatient.

"Foaly, get to the point or I'm going to start breaking things."

Foaly almost laughed. Then he remembered what Butler had done to Trouble Kelp's retrieval squad and thought better of it.

"Uh… right. I traced it to Murmansk. There are two possible computers: one is in the Hall of Justice."

"Hardly likely," Artemis said mostly to himself. "The other?"

"The other belongs to one Mikhael Vassikin."

Jack looked up.

"Vassikin? Yer kidding."

"Who is Vassikin?"

"He's an enforcer for the Russian Mafiya."

Artemis looked at Jack in wonder.

"And just how do you know that?"

Jack shrugged a shoulder.

"I get bored easily so I started surfing through Interpol. They have quite a file on you, Butler."

Butler tried to look innocent, but his facial muscles couldn't quite pull it off.

"Anyway," Jack continued. "Vassikin works for a guy named Britva. The group's main source of income is kidnapping European businessmen."

"In the past five years they have kidnapped five Germans and a Swede," Foaly added.

"How many were recovered alive?" Artemis's voice was barely more than a whisper.

"None," the centaur said. "And the negotiators disappeared in two cases."

"Then let's go," Butler said as he struggled out of the tiny fairy chair.

"Soon," Artemis said. "I don't want to add you to the list of missing negotiators. But we have two things that the others didn't have: the knowledge of who we are dealing with and fairy magic." He looked at Root. "We do have fairy magic, don't we?"

"You have this fairy, but I'll need a shuttle pilot." Root looked at Holly.

"Well of course I'm coming! I'm the best shuttle pilot you have!"

"I'm coming too," Jack said.

"No you're not," Butler, Holly and Root said together.

"Yes I am! You guys are gonna need every drop of magic you can get if you're going against the Mafiya. I may not be a fairy, but I can still help."

Artemis frowned, but nodded. He knew every drop of magic would help even if he didn't like the person the magic was coming from.

Mean while, in Koboi Labs, Opal Koboi and Briar Cudgeon discussed their plans to control Haven. Opal was jamming all signals while Cudgeon was the mastermind behind the goblins. When they heard that Root was taking the humans and Holly Short to the Artic, they devised a plan to kill them.

Root commandeered the Atlantean ambassador's shuttle because he always traveled in style. Artemis helped himself to a bottle of water from the chiller cabinet while Jack searched the other cabinets.

"This water tastes different," he said. "Not unpleasant, but different."

"The word you're looking for is clean," Holly said. "You wouldn't believe the number of filters it takes to purge all the Mud Man from it."

"All this Atlantean food and no calamari!" Jack cried from somewhere in the back.

"Now, now" Root said. "No bickering, Captain. I want a smooth mission. Now everyone suit up. We won't last five minutes up there without protection."

"Ah! Victory!"

Jack appeared with a jar of squid the same size as her torso as Holly opened an overhead locker.

"Fowl, Mannheim, front and center."

The young preteens stood next to each other, careful not to make physical contact. Jack seemed to be ignoring Artemis as she pried the lid off the jar of squid. Artemis was constantly looking at her as though hoping to catch her green flame eye. Holly tossed a cubic package to Jack and pulled down several others. Jack handed the package back, blushing slightly.

"Uh… I'm not a four anymore."

"No need to be embarrassed. You're growing."

Holly gave her another package identical to the first and turned her attention to Artemis.

"So what are you? A six maybe?"

Artemis unwrapped the package to find a suit of ultralight rubber polymer. It shrank to fit like a second skin when he put it on.

"Anti-radiation," Holly explained. "Memory latex. One use only. Wear it, recycle it."

Butler clunked over. He had so much equipment that Foaly gave him a moon belt. The belt reduced the weight of the weaponry to a fifth of its real weight. Unfortunately, there was no radiation suit big enough for him. Holly had to spray him down with a foul smelling can of liquid anti-radiation. Jack thought Holly enjoyed the chore a little too much.

**Chapter 8**

Britva ordered Artemis Fowl Sr. to be moved to the dropping point.

The Artic Station had been abandoned for many decades. Holly parked the pod in the only working docking bay. When everyone got out of the pod, Jack and Holly handed out coats.

"Bundle up," Holly said. "It's cold out there."

"Why are you getting wrapped up?" Butler asked as he buttoned his coat to his neck. "You've all got those fancy suits."

"They're for camouflage," Jack explained. Holly spread anti-radiation gel on Jack's neck. "If we shield the suits are useless."

"So for tonight," Holly concluded as Jack took the gel and put it on her face, "we're all human."

Artemis frowned. Without shielding powers his evolving plan to save his father would have to be adjusted.

"We move out in five," Root said pulling a bearskin hat over his pointed ears. "I want everyone armed and dangerous. Even you Fowl if your little wrists can support a weapon."

Artemis chose a hand gun. He jacked the battery into its slot and increased it to setting three.

"Don't worry, Commander. I've been practicing."

Root's complexion cranked up one more notch.

"It's not like firing a cardboard cut out."

"If everything proceeds according to plan, there will be no need for weapons."

"And what if things don't proceed according to plan?" Root asked.

Jack looked up as Holly handed her a pair of hand guns. Artemis's eyes were cold and determined.

"Then, Commander, we will have to improvise."

Holly felt a shiver work down her spine. It had nothing to do with the weather.

When the group surfaced they looked like one adult and four children. Albeit, four children with fairy weapons clanking under every loose fold of clothing.

"Butler," Root said, "you're the expert so you take point. Captain Short, bring up the rear. Feel free to boot any human backside that lags behind."

Holly winked at Artemis. "No need to tell me twice, sir."

"I bet not," grunt Root, with only the barest hint of a smile playing on his lips.

There was little conversation, though Jack occasionally tried to finish the conversation she had started with Butler, but the giant man was too fast for her to keep pace with. Holly and Artemis were also talking from time to time.

"Tell me something Fowl," she said after a long stretch of silence. "Is your father like you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, you're no friend to the People. What if the man we are trying to rescue is the man who will destroy us?"

Silence rang for a little while. Holly saw Artemis's chin drop to his chest. Jack and Root waited for the boy's answer as did Butler. The bodyguard prayed his principle would choose his words wisely. Very wisely.

"You have no cause for alarm, Captain. My father, while some of his ventures were undoubtedly illegal, was… is… a noble man. The idea of harming another creature would be repugnant to him."

"So, what happened to you?"

"I… I made a mistake."

Jack glared at the boy from over her shoulder. He met her eye for a moment and added, "Two mistakes."

Jack turned away and quickened her step to get closer to Root and Butler. Holly squinted at the back of the human boy's head. She decided to save judgment. For the moment.

When they passed into a ravine Butler's soldier's sense started beating a tattoo on the inside of his skull. He raised a clenched fist. Root doubled his pace to catch up.

"Problem?"

"Maybe. Nice spot of a surprise attack. Could someone know we are coming?"

"Impossible."

And that is when the goblin hit squad soared over the ridge.

Butler grabbed Artemis by the collar and flung him into a drift. His other hand was already drawing his weapon. Jack, Holly and Root drew weapons as well, but Holly and Root blocked Jack from the goblin's view.

"Take cover with Artemis," Holly said.

"No," Jack barked. Yipped would probably be more accurate.

"Now, Jack," Root said.

Jack did not holster her weapon but did back into the same drift as Artemis.

"Artemis, stop playing around," she scolded.

Artemis would have responded testily if his head had not been under three feet of snow.

There were four goblins in loose formation. They rose to a thousand feet and did not try to hide their presence. They neither attacked nor fled, but simply hovered.

"Goblins," Root grunted. "Too stupid to live and all they have to do is pick us off."

Butler picked a goblin and spread his legs for steadiness.

"Do we wait to see the whites of their eyes, Commander?"

"Goblin eyes don't have whites. But even so holster your weapon. Captain Short and I will stun them. No need for everyone to die."

Butler holstered his Sig Sauer into it's shoulder holster. It was useless at this range anyway. He didn't notice something was wrong until Jack came forward again. She was pumping the trigger of her gun, but nothing was happening. The same was true for Holly and Root's weapons. All the weapons were dead.

"I don't understand," Root said. "I checked these myself."

Jack and Artemis exchanged looks. "Sabotage," they said in one voice.

"That's why the B'wa Kell have the old softnose weapons."

"Because they've disrupted the fairy lasers."

"But how?"

No one was listening. It was no time for clever deductions. The time was for action.

"We need cover fast!"

Butler pointed. "An over hang under the ridge."

It wasn't until it was almost too late when the children realized, "It's a trap!"

They nearly made it. If it had not been for Butler none of them would have survived. He grabbed Artemis, Holly and Jack and flung them out of the rift. The snow and ice fell before Root and Butler could escape. Holly and Jack were on their feet in an instant. Artemis took another few seconds. The three raced for the ledge.

"Stay back, Captain! That's an order!"

"Commander! Your alive!"

Artemis saw a bit of ice on Jack's cheek but he was uncertain if it was just ice or a frozen tear.

"Julius, where's Butler," Jack called.

Artemis had opened his mouth to ask the same question, but closed it when Jack beat him to it, mildly surprised at her concern.

"He's unconscious but alive. We're pinned down. The ledge is going to collapse. All that's holding it is the debris. If we try to brush that away to get out…"

They were alive. That was the important thing. Now they needed a plan. Holly could see the gears in Jack's head turning as she looked around. Their eyes met and Holly nodded.

"Commander, undo Butler's Moonbelt and strap yourselves on. We're gonna haul you out."

"Rodger, Holly. Do you need a piton?"

"If you can get one out to me."

"Standby."

Holly clipped the piton onto her belt.

"Come on kids, we have a train to catch."

The three headed towards the green train that was winding its way towards them. The train was carrying radioactive waste products. Holly could feel the radiation burn through the rad gel. The train was motoring along at ten klicks. No problem for Holly, but she had a child and one next to useless Mud Boy with her.

Holly glanced at the goblins. They were holding their position. Goblins were no good at improvisation. The train was unexpected and they would need more time to think of a new strategy.

"Okay, you two. We have one shot at this. Grab whatever you can."

Artemis could not withhold a shiver.

"Don't be afraid Artemis," Holly said. "You can make it."

Artemis bristled.

"It's cold, fairy. Humans shiver when they're cold."

"That's the spirit. Second carriage. There's a runner. Mind your footing."

The second carriage came along. A thin plank was along the edge just enough to stand on. Barely. Jack was first followed closely by Holly. They leapt up gracefully. They made it look easy. Artemis tried. He really tried, but the toe of a loafer snagged on a sleeper. A painful death came hurling towards him.

"Two left feet," Holly muttered as she grabbed the boy by the collar and slung him forward.

Artemis and Jack climbed over the top of the train and entered through the roof and opened the door from the inside. They then pulled Holly, the commander and Butler into the train. Holly did not make it in completely. Unfortunately Artemis landed on top of her and blacked out. Most of her magic was diverted to him.

**Chapter 9**

Foaly was cracking jokes at Cudgeon when he felt the cold metal cylinder that could only be the barrel of a weapon pressing against his head.

Artemis awoke. They were still moving. Root was placing his jacket over Holly. Jack and Butler were not in sight.

"Awake are you?" Root said without looking up. "I surprised you could sleep after what you've just done."

"Leave him alone, Julius," Jack's voice called from above.

"Done?"

"You helped yourself to the last of Holly's magic while she was unconscious."

Artemis groaned.

"I see what must have happened. It was an…"

"Don't say it! The great Artemis Fowl does nothing by accident."

"Julius!" Jack's voice called again, but still Root ignored her.

"Surely it's nothing serious."

Suddenly Root was an inch from Artemis's face.

"Nothing serious?! She lost her trigger finger! The door cut it clean off! Because of you, Holly barely had enough magic to stop the bleeding and even then she needed Jackie's help."

Artemis stared numbly at the digit.

"How long?"

"How long what?" Root snapped.

"How long ago did it happen?"

"I dunno. Maybe a minute."

"Then we still have time to save the digit."

"With what? Jack and I barely have enough magic for a mesmer."

"What about the Ritual?"

Artemis jumped up and began patting down Holly's jump suit. Root's heart nearly stopped.

"What are you doing?"

"Holly escaped last year because she had an acorn. Holly is not likely to forget something like that."

"It's a nice thought, but acorns have to be fresh. Holly and Foaly came up with a sealed acorn unit, but the Council rejected it. Heresy apparently."

Artemis unzipped Holly's tunic. On a gold chain around her neck was a copy of the book and a sealed sphere with dirt inside.

"That's against regulations," Root said, not sounding disappointed.

Holly started to come to.

"Commander, what happened to your eye?"

Artemis ignored her as he broke the sphere.

"Now we just have to bury it."

Butler dropped nimbly through the overhead hatch. He then reached up to help Jack down, but she jumped into the car as easily as he had.

"Nice to see you two are still limber," Artemis muttered.

"What did you see?" Commander Root asked.

"One of them shot the other two in the back and then flew off."

"Goblin power play. No need to worry about that now. We need to get off of this train."

"How do we disembark?" Jack asked.

Butler smiled.

"Disembark was a gentle term for what I have in mind."

Artemis groaned. More running and jumping.

Foaly only had himself to blame. He could see every one of his techies but they could not see him because of one way surveillance. He was completely cut off with a crazed villain pointing a gun to his head. Foaly groaned. His mother always said his mouth would get him into trouble one day.

"What's going on?"

"I am getting back at the LEP for my ruin. As an added bonus I even get to get back at Artemis Fowl, his pet ape and that stupid Mud Girl."

"You couldn't do this alone."

"Who says I have? Opal Koboi and the B'wa Kell have been most supportive."

Foaly groaned again. Blast the goblins and that vixen pixie! Cudgeon settled into a swivel chair and propped up his feet. It was a statement to show Foaly knew what kind of trouble he was in because he did not correct the elf to protect his precious computers.

"You will even help because you will take the fall for it."

"No on will believe that."

"Bet me."

Cudgeon flipped a switch that turned on the plasma tiles. The resulting shock sent Foaly to the floor, unconscious.

Everyone was attached to the Moonbelt. One per link. The reduced gravity would prevent them from being dashed on the ice. Root launched them into the night. Butler switched off the antigravity just before impact. Root immediately started digging until he reached brown, frozen earth.

"Stand back," Butler said.

He drew his gun and fired an entire clip into the earth. He then lowered Holly's trembling body into the hole. Root stuffed her fist with the acorn into the dirt and taped her finger into place. Then they waited.

And waited.

"A spark!" Jack cried.

"Stand back. I've seen a two minute healing once. It wasn't a pretty sight. I've never heard of a four minuter."

They back up just in time for the magic to shoot into Holly. Magic rushed to her finger. Her arms and legs jerked and thrashed as if she were fighting invisible foes. Her back arched and she released a high pitched keen.

"Holly…"

Jack started forward but Root held her back.

"Stay back, Jackie. It's normal. The brain is running a systems check."

Holly's pores steamed out radiation. She sank into a pool of slush. Finally quiet rang. Artemis rushed into the hole and grabbed her shoulders, forgetting his shell of composure.

"Holly! Holly, speak to me! Your finger! Is it okay?"

Holly wriggled her fingers and then pulled them into a fist.

"I think so."

She whacked Artemis between the eyes. The surprised boy landed in the snow for the third time that day. Jack could not resist laughing. Holly winked at the amazed Butler.

"Now we're even."

Foaly woke up sore. For a view minutes he uttered unprintable obscenities. He hauled himself off the floor. The door was sealed. He tried to get out but Koboi had locked him out of his own system. He wasted another minute uttering obscenities about her as well. Bad timing as it turned out because that was when Opal appeared on the plasma screen.

"Foaly! Such language. Very unbecoming to great minds like ours, don't you think?"

"Well, if the word fits, use it." He immediately changed gears and tried sincerity. "Opal, think about what you're doing. Once Cudgeon has reached his goal he'll get rid of you in a heartbeat."

"You're wrong. Briar would be nothing without me an my money."

"I know what this is about. You're still mad that I won the science metal in university."

"That metal was mine! My wing design was far superior to your iris cam."

"So what do you want Opal?"

"I just wanted you to know I'm watching, so don't try anything. I also thought I'd show you what's going on down stairs. Happy viewing."

Foaly's jaw dropped. This was a disaster.

**Chapter 10**

The B'wa Kell rebellion had begun. Koboi had stopped the LEP guns so the officers were helpless. At least they still had communications.

The motley group took shelter in the abandoned Artic shuttleport. They huddled around a glow cube in the deserted lounge. Jack spoke first.

"We were ambushed by goblins. What does that mean?"

Root answered. "We need to assess our situation. What have we got and what do we know?"

"We know someone leaked our mission," Artemis said.

"Though we don't know who," Jack added.

"What about Foaly?"

"No way," Holly said.

"At this point it doesn't matter." Root paced in a tight circle as he spoke. "We have the shuttle with a locker full of provisions. Mostly Atlantean food, so get used to fish and squid."

"What do we know?" Holly asked.

Artemis answered, "We know the goblins have a source in the LEP or else they wouldn't have know where to find us. We know if they were after the head, Commander Root, they are after the body. The best chance of success would be to mount both operations simultaneously."

Holly chewed her lip. "So that means…"

"The Lower Elements is in the middle of a revolution," Jack said in a dead, hollow tone.

Butler placed a hand on her shoulder. Jack touched his hand briefly then gently pushed it away.

"The LEP will wipe the floor with them," Holly scoffed.

"But if our weapons are out…" Jack said, attempting to fire her hand gun and failing.

"So are theirs," Root finished.

"Worst case scenario," Artemis said. "The Council members have been killed or taken hostage and Haven has fallen. Things look grim. I suggest we rest here tonight and continue to Murmansk with the cloud cover. I realize we are at a slight disadvantage without weapons, but we still have the element of surprise."

An angry snow ball sent by Jack hit Artemis's shoulder.

"Artemis," Butler said gently brushing away the snow, "We are in no shape to go against the Mafiya. Holly and Commander Root need to get under ground so we only have Jack's magic and I cannot in good conscious put her in danger in these circumstances. If we go there now none of us are coming out."

"But Father is so close now. I can't just give up."

Holly was reluctantly touched by his unwillingness to give up.

"We aren't giving up, Arty," Jack said. "We're regrouping."

"Remember," Holly added, "it's always darkest before dawn."

"What dawn?" Artemis asked gloomily. "This is the artic."

Foaly faked a tantrum in order to send a message to Holly with Artemis's lap top computer. Opal and Cudgeon fantasized about their future.

Artemis's phone rang. Not even he had expected that. He opened the text message. Face pale, he handed it to Holly.

CMNDR ROOT. TRBLE BELOW. HAVN OVERRN BY

GOBLINS. PLICE PLAZA SRROUNDED. CUDGEON +

OPL KOBI BHND PLOT. NO WPONS R

CMMUNICATIONS. DNA CNONS CNTRLLED BY

KBOI. I M TRPPED IN OP BTH. CNCL THNKS

IM 2 BLM. IF ALIVE PLSE HLP. IF NOT,

WRNG NMBR.

"This is not good," Root said. "Cudgeon! I should have known!"

"Cudgeon?" Jack said. "The guy who ordered the troll that nearly killed Butler and Juliet?"

"The one and only. Can we get a message back?"

"No. I'm surprised we could even receive a message. We have no choice, we'll have to break into Koboi Labs and stop them."

Root sighed. "It's days like this I miss that little probate, Diggums. I wonder if he's up there looking down on us now."

"In a matter of speaking sir," Holly said guiltily. "Actually, Commander, Mulch Diggums is living in Las Angeles."

**Chapter 11**

Holly explained on the way.

"Foaly always thought Mulch's death was suspicious. He did some investigating and found the gold had come up about two dozen bars short. As protocol demands, the gold was laced with solinium. Foaly ran a scan and found three hits in Ireland…"

"From me, no doubt," Artemis said.

"And several in Los Angeles, especially in the Crowley Hotel in Beverly Hills. He checks the guest list and finds a Lance Digger rents the pent house."

"Digger?" Root says.

"Exactly. That's when Foaly came to me with it. We wanted to wait until we had satellite images before we came to you, but…"

Root interrupted. "Let me guess. Mister Digger is proving to be very elusive."

"Exactly."

"How did he do it?"

"Foaly guessed he put the iris cam in an animal then killed it. Maybe a mole."

"Rabbit, more likely," Jack said.

"So those life signs we read were those of a rabbit?"

"Yessir."

"I'll kill him! Can't this bucket go any faster?"

Mulch went back to his hotel. He had the Academy Award that he had just stolen, though he knew it would be his last. He had been seen and soon every dwarf in Los Angeles would be brought in for questioning.

"Hello, Art," he said to the door man.

The young man leaned over the marble counter.

"Oh, Mr. Digger, it's you. I thought I heard you pass under my sight line a few minutes ago."

"Nope. First time tonight. Must have been the wind."

Mulch went to the elevator and, using his telescopic pointer, pressed the button for the penthouse. He then punched the fourteen number key for key coded door lock. Nothing like a little paranoia to keep out the LEP. As he put away the gilded statuette he heard a noise behind him. Two human youths were sitting on the couch with a game of chess between them. The first he knew was Jackie Mannheim, the human that had lived in Haven for eight years before anyone knew she was human. Her red hair and green flame eyes nearly glowed in the dark of his apartment. Her clothes were jeans and t-shirt that were ripped and dirty. The largest rip in her shirt showed her midriff while another showed a white bra strap. She had not looked this bad last time he had seen her, and then she had been tied to a chair.

The second human was male and very odd looking. He was pale, almost bleached, with raven hair, slender and wore a school uniform that looked as if it had been dragged across two continents. Mulch's beard curled. This boy was trouble and the pairing between him and the girl meant just one thing. The boy was none other than Artemis Fowl.

Mulch burrowed his way into his chimney, which was full of dry, tasteless clay left from when the building had been remodeled in the fifties. Jack and Artemis exchanged unsurprised looks and started downstairs. Mulch was caught in the downstairs parking lot by Butler and Holly. The four took Mulch to the shuttle where Root was waiting.

Mulch helped himself to some squid as the past two days' events were explained.

"Why can you never just pay a social visit?" He kept a close eye on Butler. "And did you have to bring that one?"

"Remember me, little man? Seems to me, I owe you something."

Mulch gulped.

**Chapter 12**

Foaly recorded a conversation with Cudgeon on Fowl's computer where the crazed elf explained his entire plan to single handedly stop the rebellion, though the goblins thought he was their ally, there by reinstating him as a hero and his plans to kill Opal Koboi as soon as he was finished with her. Now if he could only find a way to get the recording to the LEP.

**Chapter 13**

Mulch had led them to an underground entrance to Koboi labs, one he had used to burgle the lab many decades earlier. Mainly because he had very little choice in the matter and Root had promised him a two day head start when it was over. It was a good deal. Jack had changed into a fairy tunic because, she said, it was more comfortable. It made sense to Artemis. After all, growing up in the Lower Elements, fairy fashioned would be more to her taste than ripped clothes that were very close to exposing her modesty. Mulch led the way to a near hollow foundation rod. Artemis looked at a fungal growth while Mulch wrenched a hammer from between two rocks.

"I wondered where this thing had gotten to."

"Art, move your tail," Jack said. "The sooner we beat Koboi the sooner we can get back to your dad."

Artemis gave her a strange look as if his features weren't sure how to arrange themselves. Jack frowned.

"I'm not getting chummy," she said, pushing him forward. "I made a promise and I'm keeping it."

Artemis decided not to respond. He had been punched once already.

"Well," Butler said. "We'll follow you up the rod, Mulch. I'm taking my gun, since I'm the only one who can lift it. You two pick up what you can on the run."

"What about us?" Jack asked.

Butler turned to Artemis first.

"I want you to stay here. My job is to keep you safe and this is possibly the safest place on Earth right now. Jack… I'm in no authority over you, but please stay here." He knelt to her level, touched her shoulder and almost smiled. "Try to get a message to Foaly."

He did not mean it because there was no way. He figured if the girl had a job she would be less likely to find her way into danger. Holly rolled her eyes. The communications were still out and even if they weren't the communications array had been torn off as they got to where they were currently. But Jack's eyes widened in wonder.

"Butler… you're a genius!"

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. He straighten up in surprise as she ran back into the ship. When she returned she carried the red purse she had carried since Butler found her in France. As she dug around in her purse she did not notice a piece of paper fall to the ground, but Artemis did. He bent over to look at a bit of fungus to disguise his stooping to pick it up. Another moment Jack pulled out a hand held computer. Holly recognized it as a meld of fairy and human technology. Artemis also recognized it as the remains of one of the hand held computers Butler had taken from a LEP retrieval squad.

"How did you…?"

"I can send an email to Artemis. Foaly is bound to have his computer with him. That's probably how he sent the text to Art's phone."

"It's a nice idea," Holly said. "But communications are still down."

"In Haven, but Koboi doesn't control Atlantis. The array is gone but I can try to interface this thing to the wireless network chip on the ship. Then, in theory, I can email Foaly through Art's computer."

"I could kiss you right now," Artemis said.

"You wouldn't know how," Jack bit.

Butler tried, unsuccessfully, not to smile.

"Just… stay here, you two."

"I will," Artemis said. "Unless…"

Butler flinched. "Unless what?"

Artemis smiled his vampire smile. "Unless I have an idea."

Soon, Holly, Butler, Root and Mulch were in Koboi Labs.

"Diggums," Root said, "stay here in case you need a quick escape. If it comes to that, see to it that the kids make too or it's my boot up your…"

"No need for threats, Julius. Jack and Artemis will be safe with me."

"Well, gentlemen," Holly said, "it's been a pleasure."

Opal Koboi spotted them at once on the cameras. The goblin commander sent in his troops.

Artemis turned his back to Jack and read the note that had fallen from her purse.

I have become the very thing I was taught to hate.

I do not belong here. I don't belong anywhere.

Jackie Mannheim

"Jack, what is this?"

"What?" Jack glanced up then did a double take. "Where did you get that?!"

"It fell from your purse. Care to explain?"

"No, I don't."

"Jack… I know things have been difficult since you left Haven, but death is not…"

"We're in!" she announced.

Artemis sighed.

"What are you typing?"

"'Foaly, it's Jack. Holly and Root are alive and well. You were right about Mulch. He's here too. We're doing all we can. Don't give up just yet. Artemis still has his phone. Don't reply at this email. By the time you get this I won't have access to communications again.'"

Jack clicked the send button just as a cry for help reached them. Artemis nearly asked Butler to deal with it when he remembered Butler was not there. He was on his own for the first time.

"Hang on, Mulch!" Jack called up the foundation rod. "We're coming!" She grabbed Artemis by the collar. "Come on."

Ah, well. Not completely alone then. A strange feeling filled Artemis as they started up the tunnel. He was working with Jack to help Mulch for absolutely no known profit. Like they were a team. It was a new experience for him.

Mulch was rolling on the floor in pain. Jack cradled him head in her lap to keep him still.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Gut blockage. Can't break it down."

"What can I do?" Artemis asked.

"Left boot. Take it off. Squeeze the little toe joint. Hard."

"What?"

"Do it!" Jack yelled.

Artemis obeyed. As he tightened his fingers around the joint he felt the barrel of a blaster press against his head.

"On your feet," the goblin ordered.

Artemis and Jack rose. Artemis still held Mulch's foot. Mulch rose up side down as his bum flap came open.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Something he ate."

Artemis squeezed the joint. The rock and a burst of dwarf gas hit the goblin in the chest knocking him out and tumbling down the corridor. Mulch got to his feet.

"Thanks. I thought I was a goner."

"That goblin was not likely to be alone," Jack pointed out.

Butler's job, as the only one with a functioning weapon, was to hold off the goblins while Root and Holly cleared the way to Opal and Cudgeon's location.

"I prefer scared to hurt, Butler," Root said.

"Yessir."

"Butler," Holly said. "About last year…"

Butler looked at the ceiling. He would have looked at his shoes, but Holly was in the way.

"Yes… I've been meaning to talk to you about that…"

"Forget it," she interrupted. "After this, we're even."

Artemis examined a conduit.

"Is this part of the ventilation?"

"No," Mulch answered closing his bum flap. "Those are for the plasma cannons. It's the plasma supply. They're not operating now, so the charge is not harmful."

"Can you open it?" Jack asked.

"Of course."

Mulch fed a single hair into the micro key hole then plucked it. He turned the hair and the conduit opened. Jack and Artemis looked at each other, nodded and strapped on helmets.

"What are you doing?"

"I figure about thirty yards," Jack said. "About ten minutes of air in the helmets."

Artemis plucked the hair from the key hole and tucked it in his shirt pocket.

"Careful," Mulch said. "It's a hair, not metal."

"No lights, Art. Plasma won't like that. And if we live we'll need to get foamed ASAP."

"Right."

Jack and Artemis crawled inside the deactivated plasma, trying not to think about what could happen if the plasma suddenly activated. They made it to the control room and flopped onto the floor. The occupants were distracted by the battle on the television, but it would not last. Artemis was first to see a screen with Foaly. The centaur would have a plan. They went to the screen and Jack hit the appropriate button.

"Foaly, it's Fowl and Jack. Five seconds. We need a plan."

"Now, Foaly," Jack added.

"Put me on all screens."

"How?"

"The conference button."

Jack hit the button just as they were noticed.

"Look! A Mud Boy. A Mud Girl too."

"Foaly…" Jack said as Artemis and she were quickly surrounded.

"Just a second."

One by one the goblin generals conjured fire balls.

"We don't have a second Foaly," Artemis said.

Artemis could feel the heat from the fire. He reached out and took Jack's hand. He couldn't form the words, but Jack saw it in his eyes. She gave his hand a squeeze.

"It's okay, Art. All is forgiven."

Prepared for the death they knew was coming, they looked at the goblins again, but the goblin generals were not longer looking at them. Cudgeon's face had appeared on the screen and they forgot all about the injured human youths.

"_Just when things are at their most desperate, I will instruct Opal to return weapons to the LEP. The B'wa Kell will be rendered unconscious, and you will be blamed for the entire affair, providing you survive, which I doubt_."

"What does this mean!?"

"Treachery!"

"Treachery!"

Cudgeon considered then consented, not unduly worried.

"Alright. Treachery."

He stopped the transmission. No need for Opal to hear the rest.

"Computer, reactivate DNA Cannons. Authorization Cudgeon B alpha, alpha two, two."

Opal spun in her chair and clapped with delight. The DNA cannons did their work. Artemis was almost smiled, but then he remembered he was still trapped with Jack in a very dangerous situation. Cudgeon drew his Redboy. Jack and Artemis saw Butler outside the quartz window. Butler broke down the door and kept going, running on adrenaline and brute force. Cudgeon grabbed Artemis and placed the Redboy to the youth's head.

"Stop or I'll kill the boy."

He didn't stop. Holly grabbed the tail of his shirt and tried to pull him back.

"Stop, Butler," Jack and Holly said, both voices heavily layered with the mesmer.

Butler seemed to wake up as he came to his senses.

"That's right, Mud Man. Listen to the Captain. I'm sure we can work something out."

"There's nothing to work out," Root said. "It's over. Put the boy down."

He cocked the gun.

"Oh, I'll put him down alright."

"No!"

Jack started forward but Butler caught her by the waist. It was a nightmare come true for the man. Artemis was in the hands of a mad man with nothing to lose. And there was nothing he could do about it.

Suddenly Artemis's phone rang.

"I think it's mine. Hello?" After a frozen few moments he tossed the hand set to Opal Koboi. "It's for you."

Cudgeon heaved in air. He knew what was coming. Opal put the phone to her ear.

"_Do you think I'd got to all this trouble to share power_?" Cudgeon's voice said. "_As soon as this charade is over, Miss Koboi will have a tragic accident_."

"It's a plot," Cudgeon said desperately. "They mean to divide us."

Opal Koboi lunged forward. She knocked Cudgeon into the now active plasma conduit which fried him instantly. Opal was flung to the floor where she moaned before slipping into unconsciousness.

Butler was on the move in a second. He pulled Jack and Artemis from harm and checked the boy for injuries. Finding only scratches, he was satisfied and turned to Jack.

"Are you okay?"

"We're fine."

Butler turned her this way and that to be sure for himself. Artemis noticed Mulch waving good bye at the door. The lad waved and turned to Butler.

"Could you spray me down? Both of us?"

"With what? Why?"

Holly took the can and, grinning maliciously, sprayed Artemis until he resembled a half melted snow man. Jack laughed heartily until rad foam filled her mouth. She gagged and glared up at Butler, who now held the can of antirad. He smiled and winked back.

Foaly ran a series of scans on his computers to rid them of all Koboi technology while he waited for Root to return and explain to the others that he was innocent.

**Chapter 14**

Holly and Jack were flying high above the conning tower that held the possible Mister Fowl and his kidnappers,. Holly's wings came from the Council. Jack's were a Christmas present illegally transported to the surface from an unknown benefactor. Most likely Robin Goodfellow. Root from watching them from his vantage point on the other side of the fjord. Artemis and Butler were opposite Root's position, hidden behind a hill. Everyone with a small enough head had a helmet. Butler had basic high performance binoculars. Artemis was understandably nervous. He went over the same questions he had discussed on the shuttle.

"How many?" Butler asked.

"About eighty cigarettes," Holly answered.

"They all went out," Jack said suddenly. "Why?"

"Ordered to," Root answered. "There are more people than cigarettes."

"We walk in there," Holly continued, "We won't be walking out."

"I see the man they're claiming is your dad," Jack continued. "I hate to say it Artemis, but he is not looking good. Whether that's your dad or not, that guy is going to need a lot of medical care."

Artemis did not respond. "Commander, what about LEP weaponry?"

"We discussed this. If we start firing, their first target will be your father."

"And if we give them the money?"

Butler shook his head. "That's not how these people do business."

Artemis shuttered. He was immediately glad Jack and Holly could not see him, but then he heard a voice.

"It's okay Art," Jack said. "Everything will be okay."

Again, he did not respond. Sensing his fears, Jack added, "No one else can hear me. I secured our channel."

"Un-secure it." He gave her a minute. "Alright everyone. We go with the plan I came up with in the shuttle."

Mikhael Vassikin's cell phone rang.

"Da?"

"This is Fowl." He spoke in perfect Russian in a voice colder than the Artic air. "It's midnight and I'm here."

Mikhael swung around looking.

"Where? I don't see anything."

"Close enough."

"How did you get this number?"

The chuckle on the other side of the line sent a chill up the Russian's spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

"I have a contact. He has all the numbers."

"Do you have the money?"

"Of course. Do you have the package."

"Right here."

Again the cold chuckle. "All I see is a fat imbecile, a little rat and a man with a hood over his head. I'm not paying good money for your cousin."

The Russians scrambled to look for Fowl's hiding spot as Mikhael continued to talk to the lad.

"Come down here and check."

"I can see fine from here. Take off the hood."

He did. Artemis could not resist a slight gasp.

"Steady Art," Jack said through her head set.

"Well," Mikhael said. "Is it him?"

Artemis had to struggle not to allow his voice shake as he responded, "Yes. It's him. Congratulations. You have an item of some value."

Mikhael gave his comrade the thumbs up. Behind the tower, Holly and Jack got ready. Butler looked at Artemis for the go ahead. The lad nodded and felt sick to his stomach. So many things could go wrong. Butler steadied the fairy far shooter and fired. The hydro shell he fired was half filled with blood from Artemis's arm. The blood exploded against Artemis Sr.'s shoulder. The man spun. Mikhael howled in disgust and flung the man over the lip of the tower. He slid down the hull and crashed through the ice into the water.

"That crazy kid just shot his own father!"

"Idiot! You just threw our hostage overboard! Was he dead?"

"If he wasn't before, he will be. He was bleeding badly."

"Britva…"

Mikhael's face paled. "We're dead." He placed his phone back to his ear. "Fowl, are you there?"

"Yes."

"What the hell? Your father is as good as dead now! I thought we had a deal."

"We still do. A new one. The last thing I need was for my father to return and dismantle what I created in the past two years. He had to die. I will still give you the five million for safe passage home."

"Seems fair."

On the other end of the fjord, Root took his cue and lit a flare tied to the briefcase of money and ran for his blind.

"Do you see that flare on the hill? The money is in a brief case tied to that flare. It will go out in ten minutes. I suggest you get there before then."

Mikhael did not bother ending the call. Who cared about a drowning Irishman when there was money to be had?

Root gave the signal the moment Artemis Sr. was shot. Jack and Holly flew down. Then things went horribly wrong.

"He's in the water!" Holly shouted.

Fairies do not like the cold. They are so phobic of cold they won't even eat ice cream. Jack knew this well, being raised with the same ideas as the People. But she was human. She did not have the same fears and restrictions. She adjusted her wings and dove into the water.

"Jack!" Holly and Root screamed over the head set. Jack turned off her communications.

The helmet would give her a few minutes of air, but the cold was already sinking in. Below her, the unconscious human glowed pale in the water. She had only one shot and she took it. She opened the throttle and went down. When she came next to him, she made a startling discovery. Mister Fowl was not completely gone. His eyes were unfocused but they moved towards her.

She grabbed him around the chest and aimed her helmet for the ice closing in around her. They crashed through the ice. Holly met them and helped lower the man to the deck of the old submarine. The two placed their hands on the human's chest and focused the combination of both their magic into him.

"Heal."

Artemis couldn't watch. He felt like he was going to be sick. What if the bullet penetrated? How could he ever face his mother again?

"Oh no," Butler said. "He's in the water. Jack just went in after him."

"Jack!" Root and Holly called.

"Jack, speak to me."

Nothing.

"Jack?" Holly called.

Artemis's mind spun. She wasn't answering because it was too late. She's drowned as well.

"She's out of the water," Butler announced.

"Jack!" everyone called.

She was too late, Artemis thought. She wasn't responding because it was too late.

"The Russians are leaving," Root reported. "Jack. Holly, what's going on?"

"One live Mud Man," Holly said at last. "And one soggy live Mud Girl," she added with a small grin at Jack who sat against the conning tower heaving for air.

She was drained of magic and hypothermia was setting in. Holly stripped of the girl's wet coat and draped her own coat over her.

"You did good, Jack. Just stay with me a little longer."

**Epilogue**

Holly and Jack's magic healed Artemis Sr.'s chest wound and restored sight to his blinded eye, but he still needed prolonged care. Holly took him to a hospital in Helsinki while Jack was returned to base camp where Butler and Artemis took care of her hypothermia. Thanks to Foaly's mind wipe, Artemis Sr.'s first memory would be reuniting with his family.

When they returned below to the Lower Elements, Jack could not stop smiling. The Council was in conference in regards to her.

"Artemis," she said excitedly. "I think they're letting me come back. They're going to let me come home at last!"

She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Artemis took a step back in shock. After casting a startled look at Butler, who was trying not to smile, he petted the top of her head awkwardly.

He knew the truth, however. She was human and therefore would never be allowed to return to Haven. Not to live at least. A few days earlier, Artemis would have jumped at the chance to say something that would have crushed Jack, even made her cry. But now all he could do was smile back.

"I hope so, Jack. I really do." And he meant it.

However, a few hours later Jack was on the shuttle to Tara with Butler and Artemis. To hide her disappointment, she played with every button on the shuttle and in the car. She returned with Butler and Holly to take Artemis back to school. He had to be there when his father was to be found.

Holly and Butler walked him to the gate. Jack waited in the car. It was nearly dawn and the full moon shone bright. Artemis was back in a clean, fully restored uniform. Jack was in another new tunic. Holly even gave her a few extras as a pick me up.

"Foaly said," Holly started, "he was pulling surveillance from you. Is he right to do so?"

Artemis considered the question. "Yes. The People have nothing more to fear from me."

Butler extended his hand.

"Captain, I don't suppose I'll be seeing you again."

"If you do, it'll be too late. I best go. It's nearly dawn." She glanced at Jack who was playing with the Bentley radio. "Take care of her for me."

"She'll be safe. I assure you."

Butler elbowed his employer.

"Eh, right. Captain… I mean Holly?"

"Yes Artemis?"

"Thank you. I owe you everything. I finally have my family back because of you. And on the train… Well, you get the idea. Thank you."

Holly drew her pistol and tossed a gold coin into the air. She fired a single shot. The coin fell back to earth. Artemis snatched it out of the air. His first cool moment. There was a hole in its center.

"Nice shot."

"I owe you a thanks as well. No mech-digit can duplicate that kind of accuracy."

Artemis offered the coin back.

"Keep it. To remind you of the spark of decency you have."

"Perhaps…"

A small plane buzzed overhead. Artemis looked up and when his gaze returned to earth, Holly was gone. A heat haze hovered above the ground.

"Good-bye Holly."

Jack opened the sun roof and sat on its rim.

"Butler," she called. "Can I drive down the driveway? I'll be careful."

Butler looked at Artemis who nodded.

"Yes, you may." He turned back to his employer. "You still owe her something as well."

Artemis knew. They all knew Jack would be crying herself to sleep for weeks because of her disappointment of not being allowed to go home. Artemis worried the news would only make her depression worse. Butler also knew it would be a long time before she got over hating herself for being human. But he would do all he could to be there for her.

"See that she gets back to Dublin safely," Artemis said. "I'll begin making it up to her very soon, but keep an eye on her. She is dealing with a lot and I wouldn't know how to… I think you could do more for her than I could. See that my accounts are well hidden. No need for father to know what I have been up to lately. And Butler… there's one more thing. In the Artic…"

"Yes, Artemis. You did the right thing."

The next day, Artemis returned to Dr. Po's office.

"Have you given any more thought to what we were talking about? About respect?"

"I have."

"And? Have you found anyone worth respecting?"

Artemis thought of his father in the hospital. Of Holly who risked her career and life trying to save him. Of Commander Root who gave the equipment. Of Butler, without whom he would have never made it out of Koboi Labs. And, of course, Jack Mannheim pulled his father from the Artic waters, nearly dieing afterwards because she used all her magic to heal the man instead of treating her own hypothermia. He had a great deal to make up for with her.

Artemis smiled. "Yes Doctor. I think I have."

**Excerpt from Jackie Mannheim's computer journal: Encrypted**

Artemis surprised me in Haven and in the Artic. I know he worries that he did that right thing by shooting his father. I also know he did the right thing, as difficult as it was for him. He seems to be full of surprises. Today for instance.

I was sitting in Momma Catherine's living room. A knock came at the door. Momma Catherine answered it and I could tell by her tone she was surprised. Then I heard Butler's voice.

"I can't just let you in here," she was saying as I jumped off the couch.

"It's okay, Momma Catherine. I know him."

Momma Catherine simply frowned at Butler.

"Aren't you a little old to be spending time with young girls?"

"I am here on behalf of my employer."

"What does Art want?" I asked.

Butler smiled and handed me a large box. I mesmerized Momma Catherine to leave us alone and led him to the living room. I opened the box and found a brand new computer.

"To replace the one he destroyed last year. He heard you never got it repaired."

"What's his email address?"

I sent him a picture of me holding the computer and a sign that said "THANK YOU."

This makes two adventures. Gods know what adventure I'll end up being dragged on with that boy next. Maybe one day he'll take me to another world.

You never know.


	3. Book 3 Rewrite

Chapters 1-

**Jackie Mannheim's computer diary: encrypted**

I am about to go insane! Artemis is gods know where doing gods know what. Juliet is in America with Mr. and Mrs. Fowl, so I have no one to hang out with. I think I'll tell Momma Catherine I have another school trip and go to London for a few days…

**Chapters 1-2**

Artemis was almost content. He had built a master computer with the use of stolen fairy technology. The plan was to show an American businessman named Jon Spiro his new toy and then make an offer. Sell his business in Chicago and buy into Fowl Industries. Spiro, of course, was skeptical and demanded a demonstration. Artemis located a satellite that had been tracing Spiro. Spiro made a new deal. His bodyguard, Arno Blunt, kills Artemis and Butler and he takes the "cube."

Artemis was surprised, but he was prepared. However, he was not prepared for the consequences. His satellite location caused more trouble than he knew. He inadvertently pinged the fairy world. Foaly put Haven on lock down and Root sent Holly to investigate.

We pick up at Artemis's plan B.

"Richard of York gave battle in vain," Butler said, enunciating clearly.

Arno laughed.

"You must be cracking up old man."

But an old woman that worked with Blunt looked thoughtful.

"Richard of York… I know that."

Artemis did too. It was the trigger for the sound bomb attached to the bottom of his table. Anything within ten meters not wearing ear plugs would be in a lot of pain. It just needed one more word.

"It's one of those memory tricks for the colors of the rainbow," the woman said.

Rainbow. The last word. Artemis remembered to slacken his jaw just in time.

Now this wouldn't be an Artemis Fowl story without little Fowl's favorite enemy turned friend. Jackie Mannheim was taking a break from her foster mother. London was filled with history, shopping, haunted buildings, shopping, great food, shopping, great tourist traps. Did I mention shopping?

She was passing the En Fin when a hot mini coop passed by. She stared after it with her mouth wide open. Oh, how she wanted a mini coop! When she got old enough to drive she was going to buy one. A blue one.

With a white top.

And maybe some flames on the bonnet. Or was that a bit over kill?

Jack's thoughts were interrupted by a deafening explosion. Glass from the window of the En Fin pierced her neck and shoulder. The shock wave ruptured her ear drums. Blood trickled from her ears. Her magic targeted her ears as the area most in need. But before her cuts could be healed, her magic dried up. She was out of magic. But then, it had been so long since she had performed the ritual that she was surprised she had enough in her to stop the bleeding.

Slowly she stumbled into the restaurant.

"Stay here," Butler ordered Artemis. "I'm going to check the kitchen."

Artemis was shaken. Butler had saved them again and maybe he could still stop Spiro.

The door to En Fin opened. Artemis looked up to see Jack pour in. Blood was coming from her ears and her hair was dirtied with blood that had come from cuts on her neck and shoulder.

"Jack!"

"Artemis!"

"Are you alright?" they asked each other in one voice.

"What are you doing here?" Artemis asked.

"What happened?"

A large figure blocked the sunlight.

"It's a long story. I will tell you later." Artemis began to turn around. "You know, Butler, we really must talk regarding your salary…"

But it wasn't Butler. It was Arno Blunt. His teeth were smashed. In one hand were two foam cones; earplugs. In the other hand was a silenced pistol.

"First you," he said to Artemis, "then your girlfriend, then the ape."

Artemis took Jack's hand. She gave his hand a squeeze.

Arno took aim and fired.

**Chapter 3**

Butler scouted the kitchen. For some reason he couldn't get the words of his sensei out of his mind.

"The Principal cannot be shot if you are standing in front of him."

It was the first rule of being a bodyguard and Butler had broken it. Rule number two ("Don't form an emotional attachment to the Principal") had been dashed to pieces long ago.

Butler rushed back to the dinning area. To Artemis and Jack, he seemed to have come from no where. He flung himself in the path of the bullet. His Kevlar jacket was useless at point blank range.

His momentum flung him into Artemis. Jack moved out of the way just in time, but she was screaming with terror. Artemis was pinned in the dessert trolley.

Butler's breathing was labored and his vision was gone, but he wasn't dead yet. He fired six rounds. One bullet found Blunt's temple.

Jack was still screaming for Butler to get up and just plain screaming.

Butler was surprisingly calm and at peace. No more responsibility. He had his life to live for himself, even though it was only for a few seconds. He didn't bother placing his hand on the girl's shoulder. This was his moment. Finally, his own life.

Briefly…

Artemis crawled out of the dessert trolley and began brushing éclairs from his suit.

"I must start choosing my business associates more carefully. Jack, must you continue that racket?"

Jack stopped screaming, but continued crying. Artemis turned and looked at Butler. His stomach sank to is feet like it was made of lead. Jack and Artemis rushed to his side.

"Artemis…" Butler said in short gasps. "Is that you?"

"Yes old friend. I'm here.

"Juliet will protect you. Jack?"

"Yes?"

"Be sure he gets home…"

"Don't talk like that, Butler," she chided. "Yer gonna make it."

"It's not that serious," Artemis said.

Butler sputtered. It was as close as he could get to a laugh.

"Very well, it is serious, but I will think of something."

Tears poured down the boy's cheeks, unchecked.

"Good-bye, Artemis. My friend."

"Good-bye Butler."

"Call me… Domovoi."

The name told the kids two things. That Butler was named for a Slavic spirit for starters. Second, Madame Ko instructed her students never to give their employers their first names. Butler would not have broken this rule… unless it didn't matter.

"Good-bye Domovoi," Artemis said through his tears. "Good-bye my friend."

For a brief second, Butler's unfocused eyes moved to Jack.

"Ingrid… I'm sorry, Baby."

Butler's hand dropped from Artemis's shoulder. He was gone.

"No! No, no, no!"

Artemis couldn't believe it. Jack flung herself onto Butler's body and wept bitterly. Then an idea occurred to Artemis.

"Jack! You can save him!"

"No… I can't."

"Why not?"

"Look at me, Art! I'm a wreck! I don't have enough magic to heal myself!"

"There must be a way!"

It was Jack's turn to have an idea.

"There is!"

"What?"

"Holly!"

"She's in Haven."

Jack wiped away her tears and smiled.

"I have a plan."

Jack and Artemis used the trolley and pushed Butler into the restaurant's freezer. It was simple. The freezer would slow Butler's heart rate to a crawl, thus prolonging what little life he had left.

"We don't have a lot of time," Artemis said, his logic kicking back into gear. "The police will be here soon."

"What if they look in the freezer?"

Artemis took out his cell phone.

"I have that covered."

Sirens were close. Jack pushed Artemis out the back as he dialed.

"Hello?" the man on the other line said. "Make it quick, I'm kinda busy here."

It was Detective Barre of New Scotland Yard. He was an old friend of Butler's and actually owed Butler his life.

"Detective Barre, this is Artemis Fowl."

"Artemis, how are you? And Butler?"

"Not good, I'm afraid. He needs a favor."

"Anything for the big man."

"Did you hear about a disturbance in Knightsbridge?"

"Yes it just came in. Don't tell me Butler was behind it."

"I need you to keep your men away from the freezers."

"That's a strange request. What's in the freezers I shouldn't see?"

"Nothing illegal, but believe me. It's a matter of life and death for Butler."

"Consider it done. Will you need to get whatever it is out of the freezer?"

"As soon as possible. All I need is two minutes."

"Right well, I can guarantee no one will be on duty at six thirty."

"Thank you."

The Ice Age Cryogenics Institute was tucked away on a side alley off Harley Street.

"How did you ever find this place?" Artemis asked Jack.

"I was just wondering the streets. Who knew it would come in handy?"

"Maybe. That is _if_ they'll give us what we need."

"It'll cost a pretty penny."

"That's of no concern to me. It looks like a space ship," he protested.

"Well, we don't have time to find another place, now come on!"

They went inside. The nurse didn't even look up at them.

"Are you looking for someone?" she asked.

"We'd like to see Dr. Lane. She's the surgeon, correct?"

The middle aged woman looked up over her magazine.

"This isn't another school project is it?"

"No."

"You're not a lawyer are you? Some genius that gets a degree while still in diapers?"

"A genius, yes. Lawyer, hardly. I am a customer."

The nurse was suddenly all charm.

"Well, why didn't you say so? I'll show you in. Would you like tea, coffee, or something stronger?"

"We're thirteen, lady," Jack hissed.

"Juice?"

"Earl Grey," Artemis ordered.

"No sugar," Jack said. "It might make him hyper."

The nurse was ready to take sarcasm from a paying customer. Dr. Lane opened her office door and looked at the young teenagers uncertainly.

"Do come in."

"Beam me up, Scotty," Jack said, making no attempt to lower he voice.

Jack and the doctor observed each other for a moment. Each lady had flowing red hair, green eyes and were quite lovely. In fact, if Jack didn't know her mother was buried in New York City she would have thought there was kinship between them.

"Now, young man," Lane said, "Tracy tells me you wish to become a customer."

"Not really. I'd just like to rent a unit. Short term only."

"Our prices are steep."

"Money is no object. I can wire you a hundred thousand pounds now. All I need is a single unit for one night."

"Minors are not generally allowed to commit relatives."

"Dr. Lane," Jack cut in, "what we are discussing isn't exactly legal, but no one is being hurt. We just need one unit for one night. This time tomorrow, you are a rich woman and we were never here. No bodies, no complaints."

Dr. Lane took out a compact mirror and studied her reflection for a moment.

"Call your bank," she said at last.

Lane drove the teenagers to the En Fin. They loaded Butler into the cryogenics truck. Artemis gave Detective Barre a description of Arno Blunt. Lane injected Butler with glucose to prevent ice crystals in the blood from puncturing the cells.

"Park the truck outside your building and forget us, Doctor," Jack ordered.

"But…"

"One hundred thousand pounds," Artemis said. "Keep repeating that figure. "I do need your phone. I must make a very special call."

Holly was flying over London when Foaly called.

"We got something. Listen to this."

"What is this? A phone tap?"

"Yes. Now listen."

"People," a hazy, but familiar voice said. "LEP, magic, Haven, shuttleports, sprites, B'wa Kell, trolls, time stop, Jackie, Recon, Atlantis."

"It's just a jumble of words."

"It was made from a cryogenics lab in London to the Times crossword hot line," Foaly said. "And I checked. Not a fairy related answer in sight."

"Okay, where's this lab?"

Jack was in the truck with Butler. Artemis waited outside, keeping a look out.

"Artemis?"

"What is it Jackie… Jack?"

"I need your help."

Artemis climbed into the truck. Jack had her hair pulled off her neck and he could see the glass poking out of her neck for the first time.

"Jack, why didn't you say anything…?"

"Because there were more pressing matters to attend to," she replied, looking at Butler laying in the pod. "The tools we need are here, but I can't reach all the pieces. Think you can do it?"

"I know I can."

Jack put her back to him and handed him a pair of surgical tweezers.

"Don't you want something for the pain?"

"No. I don't need it. My last scrap of magic killed the pain."

"Very well. It doesn't look too bad. Eleven pieces total. Three will need stitches though."

"Just do it."

One by one, Artemis removed the glass fragments. One was very close to her jugular while another was near her spine. He resisted the urge to shutter. Butler was fatally wounded and Jack could have easily been killed by the glass and it was entirely his fault. He stitched the three deepest cuts closed then taped a gauze bandage over the area. He went back outside while Jack fixed her hair. A heat haze hovered above him. He spread his hands to show he was unarmed.

"Do not be alarmed, fairy," he said. "I mean you know harm. I am a friend. I helped defeat the B'wa Kell. My name is…"

The fairy unshielded and removed her helmet. It was Holly Short.

"I know who you are, Artemis Fowl."

"Holly! It's you!"

Artemis grabbed her shoulders, but she shrugged him off.

"I know it's me. What do you want?"

"There's no time to explain."

Holly fired up her wings and rose to ten feet.

"No, I want an explanation now. Where's Butler?"

Artemis couldn't say it, but he didn't need to. It may as well have been written on his forehead.

Holly looked at Butler's pale face and blue lips.

"How?"

"He stopped a bullet that was meant for me."

Holly sighed.

"When are you going to learn that your schemes get people hurt? Usually people you care about."

Jack used a lock of hair to cover her bandage, but her hair was too short and Holly saw. She pushed the girl's hair aside.

"What happened?"

"I'm fine Holly."

"What happened?"

"My life isn't at stake. Butler's is. Can we focus please?"

Artemis faced Holly across the cryo pod. "Can you do it Holly? Can you heal him?"

"Me? I can't heal him. I shouldn't even touch him. We need a professional warlock for something like this."

"But you healed him once before," Jack protested.

"That was different. The injuries were different. I'm sorry, but Butler is gone."

Jack began crying again and touched Butler's frozen hand. Artemis pulled a gold medallion from a leather thong around his neck.

"Remember this? You gave it to me as a reminder of the spark of decency I have. I'm trying to do something decent here, Captain."

Holly placed her arm on Jack's shoulder, but the young girl pushed her away.

"I don't need your magic, Holly," she muttered.

"I want to talk to Foaly," Artemis said.

"I speak for the People, Fowl," Holly replied testily. "We don't take orders from humans."

"Please Holly. It's Butler. I can't just let go."

"Fine."

Holly took an extra com set and placed it on the table, set to speaker mode so both Artemis and Jack could hear.

"Foaly? You there?"

"Are you kidding? This is better than human soap operas."

"I just want a healing. I know it might not work, but what's the harm in trying?"

"It's not that simple," Foaly said. "Healing takes talent and concentration. Holly's good, but you need a team of warlocks for something like this."

After a long and complicated debate, Holly and Foaly agreed. However they warned Artemis of the consequents. Butler could be mended, but may not be Butler anymore. Artemis and Jack stepped outside of the truck to let Holly work.

Holly did her best with Foaly's guidance, but it wasn't enough. Holly looked over Butler.

"Oh gods. Artemis is not going to like this."

Outside the truck, Artemis maintained a calm exterior while his gut was churning. Jack was trying not to cry, but in the process she was forgetting to breath. Several times Artemis had to pat her cheek smartly to get her to start again.

"If it's a choice between your crying and your death because you won't breath," Artemis said at last, "I'd prefer you crying."

"Sorry," she responded in a voice barely more than a whisper.

Suddenly, the truck began rocking off its axles. Artemis did not panic, but Jack flipped.

"Holly!"

She headed for the back door, but Artemis caught her around the middle and held her tight.

"She may need help," Jack protested.

"She has Foaly. And what good will you do? You said it yourself. You don't have enough magic to heal yourself."

Jack spun to face Artemis. For half a second, he thought she was going to hit him. Instead she flung her arms around his neck and continued crying. How could he have been so blind? She never acted this way. She was in shock. Artemis knew what do to since he had read more medical books than Dr. Lane. He sat Jack down on the curb and made her look at him.

"Jack I want you to listen to me. You're in shock. I need you to calm down. Take a deep breath and hold it."

She obeyed, but the breath was a very shaky one.

"Now let it go."

They continued until the truck door opened. Holly came out, leaning against the frame. Healings like this often caused fatigue or nausea. She took several deep breaths.

"Is he alive?" Artemis asked.

Holly kept breathing deep.

"Is he alive?" the teenagers asked together.

"Yes… he's alive, but…"

"But what? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry Artemis. I did the best I could."

Artemis scrambled into the van. Jack made it in with Holly's help. Butler had grown thick hair and a beard, but it was streaked with grey. Butler had gone into the cryo pod at forty years old. Now he was at least fifty. In three hours, Butler had grown old.

"Foaly," Artemis asked in a shaky voice, "any theories."

"I guess Holly's magic wasn't enough. Some of his own life force was needed."

"Can you lot get home?"

Jack nodded. Artemis didn't.

"We took a public flight then a taxi."

"Jack, can you get them back?"

"I suppose."

"I'd like to help, but I've spent enough time here. I'm on a very important mission."

"You were probed, weren't you?" Artemis said.

Holly took a large piece of camouflage foil from her bag.

"We need to get somewhere where we can talk."

Holly wrapped everyone up in the foil and clipped them to her Moonbelt. She took them to Fowl Manor where, after putting Butler to bed, Artemis explained about his C Cube. Spiro would eventually figure out how to work the Cube and then he could use it to find the People.

"I can't see a man like him just allowing us to live in harmony," Foaly said.

Holly glared at Artemis.

"Remind you of anyone?"

"I am nothing like Jon Spiro," objected Artemis. "He's a cold-blooded killer!"

"Give yourself a couple of years. You'll get there."

Foaly sighed. Put Holly, Jack and Artemis in one room and there would eventually be a fight. But then, to everyone's surprise, especially Holly's, Jack spoke up in Artemis's defense.

"Art isn't a killer. And he never will be."

Holly was flabbergasted. Jack standing up for Fowl?!

"Thank you Jack." It was a pre-mature statement.

"Because he doesn't have what it takes to pull the trigger. He's administration. Even if Butler retires today, which is quite likely now, another muscle man will replace him. He'll always have someone else to do his dirty work for him. He can't mess up his perfect manicure."

Holly smiled. This was much better.

"I suppose you could pull the trigger, then?" Artemis hissed back at her.

"I don't know," Jack admitted, but her voice was hard and callous. "But I don't intend to find out."

"Enough," Foaly said. "You kids can rip each others heads off later. Right now we need to get to business. We need to get that Cube before Spiro can unlock its secrets."

"We have some time," Artemis said, tearing his icy glare from Jack. "It is encrypted."

"How encrypted?"

"I built an eternity code into the hard drive."

"I'm impressed," Foaly and Jack said together.

"But let's not get hasty. The chip design alone will spark new research in Spiro's company. And when he learns that I'm alive, he'll come after me. After all, only I can unlock the Cube's full potential."

Holly rubbed her temples. How did she know this day was going to get complicated fast?

"So any minute now we could be overrun by hit men looking for you? It's times like this when we could use Butler."

Jack smiled, took the wall phone from its cradle and handed it to Artemis.

"There's more than one Butler in the family," she said.

**Chapter 4**

Juliet was being reprimanded by Madame Ko when a young woman with a brief case interrupted, bowing.

"Madame, there is a call for you."

Ko took the handset that was handed to her.

"A message from Artemis Fowl," she said at last. "Domovoi needs you."

Juliet frowned.

"You mean Butler needs me."

"No. Domovoi needs you. I am just repeating what I am told."

Juliet's heart raced. If Butler had told Artemis his first name then he must be… No, it couldn't be.

"I shouldn't let you go. You are not ready."

"Please Madame," Juliet pleaded.

"Very well."

**Chapter 5-6**

Allow me to sum up once again. Mulch had been hired through the Chicago mob by Spiro to get Artemis back. Mulch could not allow Artemis to fall into the hands of a man such as Spiro and vowed to save him. Maybe the Mud Boy would give him a reward.

Butler opened his eyes. Artemis was sleeping in the armchair next to his bed. He felt something next to him and found Jack curled like a cat sleeping next to his leg. He smiled and touched her hair. Thinking quickly he plucked a single hair. The girl stirred and looked up.

"Butler! You're awake!"

"It would seem so."

She threw her arms around him and he put and arm around her. Artemis awoke.

"Butler, you've come back to us!"

Butler struggled to his elbows. It was quite an effort.

"It's a surprise to me. I never expected to see you again."

Artemis poured a glass of water from the bedside jug.

"Here, old friend. Just rest."

Butler drank slowly. There was something wrong. Not only could he see it in Artemis and Jack's eyes, he could feel it deep within him.

"What happened? Right now I should be either dead or in massive pain right now."

Artemis faced the window and Butler saw a tear slide from one of Jack's green flame eyes. It startled him, but he tried not to show it.

"Blunt shot you," Artemis said, not looking at Butler. "It was a fatal wound and Jack was out of magic so we froze you and summoned Holly."

"You used the fish freezers?"

Jack nodded at her shoes.

"I trust I am not part freshwater trout now, eh?"

When Artemis faced Butler he was not smiling.

"There were complications."

Jack sniffed. Butler placed a large hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Jackie. I'll be fine. What complications?"

Artemis held out a mirror.

"Prepare yourself and take a look."

Butler looked. He stretched his jaw, pinched the bags under his eyes and ran his fingers through his graying hair.

"How long was I out?"

Mulch and his partner were outside the manor. Mulch left Loafers in the car and went to the kitchen door.

Butler shaved and started to change clothes. Jack and Holly were off performing the ritual. Jack had taken her own wings. Butler ran a finger along the Kevlar in his chest and buttoned his shirt before checking the security cameras. He smiled slightly.

"Well, well. Look who's come to visit."

Artemis looked over his shoulder. Mulch was making rude gestures at the camera outside the kitchen door.

"Mulch Diggums. Just the dwarf I want to see."

Butler was not smiling.

"But why does he want to see you?"

Mulch insisted on food before explaining. Artemis offered to make him a sandwich, but it looked more like an explosion on a plate. Mulch gulped it down as the door opened and Jack came in.

"Mulch?" she asked taking off her wings. "Are you with a short guy with tattoos up his arms?"

"Unfortunately. That's why I'm here." He brushed crumbs off his shirt and unknowingly turned on his microphone. "I was sent by the Chicago mob to get you. I break in and the guy outside insists that you come along."

"Where is he now?" Butler asked.

"Outside the front gate," Jack answered. "He was pacing around the car when I saw him."

"Did he see you?" Artemis asked as Butler went to check the cameras again.

"No. I was shielded."

"What about Holly?"

"No. She's a good half hour behind me. She has regulations to follow for flight, remember?"

Artemis nodded.

"Mulch," Jack said slowly. "Are you wearing sunscreen?"

"Yes. I'd smell much worse without it. Dwarves are very photosensitive. You know that. I don't know how you do it, Jack. To be honest, I'm getting fed up living with humans."

"Your wish is my command," said Loafers. He was standing in the door, brandishing a very large gun.

Mulch frowned.

"I told you to wait in the car."

"You turned you mic on. I know you were planning to save the kid. Freeze, kid! Don't think I won't shoot because you're a girl."

Jack had been moving for the door to fetch Butler but she froze when she found the large gun was pointed at her.

"Hey now," Mulch said. "No need for threats."

"Shut up!"

"I know what you're after," Artemis said. "I'll tell you everything."

"You'll do what I tell you! You may even cry like a little girl. It's been known to happen."

Butler ran into the room. His face was slick with sweat.

"I just checked the monitors. There's no one in the car…"

"Old news to everyone but you, Grandpa."

"Maybe you could tie the others up," Artemis suggested.

"Wow," Loafers said sarcastically. "Then maybe I can agree to another obvious delay tactic on account of me being a complete amateur."

Loafers knew something was not right when he noticed the red head smile. He turned to see someone else in the door.

"Okay, miss. Over here with the others."

Juliet flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"I don't do stupid things."

She reached out and deftly removed the gun's slide.

"Careful now. You don't want this thing to go off."

"What are you going to do?" she asked dangling the missing slide in front of him. "Shoot me with this?"

Before Loafers registered what had happened. Juliet kicked him in the chest sending him crashing into the breakfast bar.

"Butler," Mulch said. "Just a shot in the dark here, but would that be your sister?"

"How on earth did you guess?" Butler said hugging his sister tightly.

**Chapter 7-9**

Holly returned and arrested Mulch as the dwarf tried to convince Artemis to give him a reward. Root allowed them fort-eight hours or else he would send in a retrieval squad. The condition was that Artemis and the Butlers submit to a mind wipe. Artemis agreed, but gave Butler instructions on how to cheat the mind wipe by planting triggers. Artemis and Spiro arranged to meet in Chicago and told him he would need his partner, Jackie Mannheim, to break the eternity code.

Butler tended to his duties assigned by Artemis, but there was one other matter of a more personal nature that needed his attention as well. He took out an old wooden box and took a silver locket out. He opened the locket and found a lock of bright red hair. He removed a couple of hairs with tweezers and placed them carefully into a small envelope. He labeled the envelope "Ingrid Schultz, 1989." He took the hair he had plucked from Jack and placed it in another envelope labeled, "Jackie Mannheim, 2002." Finally he swabbed the inside of his own cheek and placed the swab in a protective cover. His hand hesitated then wrote on the sample "Unknown Male, 2002."

He took the phone off the cradle and dialed.

"Doctor Richard's office."

"My name is Butler I need to speak to Jim Richard."

"Just a moment."

Half a second later a cheerful voice came on the line.

"Butler, you old hound! How are you?"

"I'm fine." No need to tell his old friend he had nearly been killed by a fatal shot to the chest. "I have a favor to ask you."

"Anything."

"I have two hair samples and a cheek swab I'm sending you. I need you to tell me if any of the donors are related."

"Are the tags attached?"

"On one, yes; the other, no."

"Five years ago it would have been impossible. Send them on. No charge."

"Thanks, Jim."

Jack looked at Holly.

"Come on," the girl said. "We're telling Spiro that mulch disposed of Loafers because he hit me. I need a bruise to show him. Art is too weak to do it and the others refuse to hit me because I'm a girl."

"What about Juliet?"

"She just point blank refuses."

"Jack… I…"

"Holly."

"Yes?"

"Did I ever tell you that you look like a human?"

Holly punched Jack in the face so face her fist was a blur. Jack fell back several steps and forced her magic not to heal her.

"Jack!"

"I'm sorry Holly. I didn't mean it. I just needed you to hit me."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for."

**Chicago**

"Move it kids," Mulch said, playing the part of a mobster. Jack glared at him. "I said _move_!"

He emphasized his point with a shove. Jack stumbled and fell at the feet of Arno Blunt, his broken teeth replaced with sharpened porcelain ones.

"Remind me again," Spiro said. "Why can't Fowl put in two different codes by himself?"

"The Cube is also voice activated," Jack responded. "Any more stupid questions?"

It had been decided that Jack would play the part of the defiant teenager while Artemis would be the terrified victim. Jon Spiro, who was unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner grabbed Jack by the scruff of her neck and pulled her to her feet.

"As a matter of fact, I do. If you two are partners, why weren't you at the dinner with him?"

"I was there. Art brought me to London saying we deserved a break from school. I was out shopping. I came back just before _that_ son of a bitch shot Butler."

Jack turned her dagger gaze back to Blunt.

"Lower your weapon, Arno," Spiro said. "Check the plane."

Spiro released Jack with a shove, his eyes lingering on the bruise Holly had left on her jaw, though he believed it to be from Loafers. She went back to Artemis's side. Blunt would only find Juliet in a stewardess outfit. Holly was shielded in the luggage rack.

"Be on the look out," Spiro ordered. "Artemis Fowl was not suckered in by a goon like you, Digence. He's here because he wants to be."

Artemis gave his best innocent look without letting him get a good look at his miss matched eyes.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm here because that smelly little man threatened to rearrange my inners if I didn't come along.

Spiro paid him no attention. On the way to the helicopter Jack and Artemis had a whispered conversation that they had rehearsed on the plan.

"What the hell did you get us into?!" Jack demanded in a hushed tone.

"Give it a rest already, Jack."

"We agreed to keep the Cube between us. What are you playing at?"

"I'm not playing any games. Not anymore."

"This was never a game. Because of you, Butler is…" Her voice cracked and she paused a moment before adding, "I swear if we live through this, I'll kill you."

Spiro chuckled.

"Bravo. Wonderful performance children. Especially you, Jack, is it? You should be in Hollywood with those acting skills. Please, Arty boy, you can stop pretending now."

"I don't know what this ass hole is up to," Jack hissed. "Why should he tell me? He didn't even tell me he was going to sell _our_ Cube."

"I wasn't selling anything, Jack," Artemis said trying to make himself sound like he was pleading.

"Whatever."

Spiro chuckled again. "Wonderful!"

Everything was going according to plan. Spiro ordered two of his goons to bury Mulch alive. He even gave them a nice tour of the safe the C Cube was being kept in.

"Let me tell you two kids a little story," Spiro said. "Once upon a time a little Irish boy messed with the wrong business man, so he messed back. He dragged the boy and his little girlfriend kicking and screaming into the real world. So now these kids have a choice; do they tell the man what he needs to know?" His eyes moved to Jack. "Or do they put their families in danger?"

"Don't bother threatening my family," Jack growled. "I don't have one."

He looked at Artemis as he moved behind Jack and rubbed her shoulders, his fingers lingering just below her collar bone. Her skin crawled.

"But you have a family, don't you, Arty? You also have a very pretty friend. I'll bet she'll become a beautiful woman…" He ran a thin finger along her neck and turned her head towards him. She pulled her chin away from him as he added, "If she lives that long."

Artemis had to fight not to show his anger. Spiro was making a grave mistake by trying to play mind games with Artemis. He was underestimating the lad. Many made this very mistake and Artemis planned to use it to his advantage. He was even dressed in casual teenager clothes instead of his usual suit. Arno Blunt prodded Artemis between the shoulder blades.

"Mr. Spiro asked you a question."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Blunt then locked Artemis and Jack in a room with one bed and a couch. They even had a big screen TV and a large bathroom. However there were no windows and no door knob on the inside of the room.

"One bed?" Artemis noticed at once. "But there are two of us."

"It won't be a problem. The couch looks comfy enough," Jack replied.

"You can't sleep on the couch."

"I wasn't planning to. _You_ got us into this so _you_ can have the couch."

"If you try anything," Arno Blunt hissed at them, "I'll turn you both inside out and eat your liver and the girlie's heart. I have a feeling hers is bigger than yours. I don't care what the boss says. You won't be useful forever, so if I were you I'd be nice to me."

"If you were me then I'd be you," Artemis said. "And if I were you, I'd be as far from here as I could get."

"And why is that?"

Jack answered this time.

"Because Butler is coming. And he's pissed off."

Blunt took an involuntary step backwards.

"No way kid. Butler is dead. I saw the blood."

It was Artemis's turn again.

"We didn't say he was alive."

"We just said he was coming."

"You're messing with my mind. Mr. Spiro warned me about this."

"Relax Arnie baby," Jack said with what a normal young lad would consider to be a sexy tone.

"It's not like we have him in a pocket."

"You've got hours."

"Maybe even days before he comes."

Arno slammed the door so hard the frame shook.

Jack smiled at Artemis.

"That was rather enjoyable."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"We should do it again sometime."

"We will."

Jack headed for the shower. Artemis's smile fled.

"If we make it," he thought.

An hour later Artemis was banging on the bathroom door.

"You'll just have to wait your turn. Shove off!"

Finally Artemis had his turn when Jack came out in a white robe with JS embroidered on it.

"A bit over kill, don't you think?"

"A bit."

"Arty… Artemis?"

"Yes?"

"We're gonna make it, aren't we?" Her lips were barely moving and she spoke in hushed tone so the camera following them wouldn't hear or pick up movements so someone could lip read later.

"I haven't failed yet."

Jack half smiled and stepped aside.

_It only takes one time though_, he thought.

After his shower Artemis turned his back on the camera and gave his final instructions.

(Note from the author: my version of this tale has no bearing on the actions of Holly, Mulch and Juliet. There fore I am cutting to chapter ten when Holly meets Artemis and Jack.)

**Chapter 10**

Artemis smiled up at Holly through the hole she had just cut into the ceiling.

"We're getting to know each other just a little too well."

"That won't be an issue for long," Jack said darkly as she lowered her hands, fingers locked. "Come on Art."

"Shouldn't I give you a boost?"

"Save the chivalry. I'm stronger than you and I can jump higher too. Now come on."

Jack boosted Artemis to the hole where Holly grabbed his hand and pulled him into the air conditioning duct. Jack stretched her legs then jumped. Holly and Artemis caught her and hauled her up.

"Do we have Foaly?" Artemis asked.

Holly gave each teenager an ear piece.

"Ask him yourself."

"Okay, Foaly, astound me."

"I have wiped you from the cameras, erased the ceiling falling and created a simulated Artemis and Jack."

"Sims? How?"

"I borrowed an old home video from Jack's computer, changed her clothes and planted her on the couch. For you, Artemis I borrowed the solitary confinement scene from The Great Escape. I melded the videos and voila. The sims can do whatever I want. Right now, Artemis-sim is sleeping and Jack sim is laying upside down on the couch fidgeting."

Holly led the way to Spiro's apartment upstairs. They insured Spiro would not wake up and they entered the room. Holly scanned his retina. She started to use memory latex for the thumb scan, but Artemis stopped her.

"Holly… it won't work. I'm afraid we need… his real thumb."

Holly was horrified.

"You really haven't changed, have you Mud Boy."

"I hate to say it," Jack said, "but he's right. There is no other way. The memory latex would only make a negative of his print. Unless you have two pieces. Then we could scan his thumb and then use the second piece to correct it."

Holly did not have another piece of memory latex. There was no choice. As Holly cut off the thumb with a laser, Artemis took notice of a pair of scars behind Spiro's ears. The thought them interesting, but nothing more.

They made their way to the safe room and got through all the locks. After quick calculations it was determined that Jack and Artemis together weighed close to Spiro for the pressure mat. They placed the thumb on the scanner, held up the retina scan and played the sound waved Holly had recorded. The vault opened. Artemis handed the thumb to Holly.

"Go, there isn't much time. Jack and I will handle it from here."

"We'll be right behind you," Jack said.

"And if you're not?"

"Then we will have to go to plan B."

"Let's hope not," Jack said.

The guards did not look very well. Their oxygen tanks had been switched for anesthetic. They fainted upon his arrival. Jack reached for the Cube.

**Spiro's bedroom**

Holly healed Spiro's finger and noticed a few sparks were going to his ears. Holly looked. The truth hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Artemis! It's not Spiro! It's a double! Do you hear me? Respond!"

**Vault room**

Spiro and Blunt appeared from a false wall.

"Bravo children. Some of us didn't think you would make it this far."

Blunt handed Spiro a hundred dollar bill.

"In the bedroom," Jack said. "It was a double."

"Indeed. My cousin Costa. Tell me, how did you do it? You don't seem to have Costa with you."

"Trade secret," Artemis answered.

Blunt plucked the ear pieces from the teenagers and crushed them. At once he was rebuked by Spiro.

"Sorry Mr. Spiro."

"You should be," Jack said.

"Because Butler is still coming for you," Artemis said.

"I saw the blood. Butler is dead."

"Did you check his pulse?" Jack said. "Because if I remember right, Butler shot you _after_ you shot him."

Spiro laughed and clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Thirteen years old and she's playing you like a grand piano in Carnegie Hall. Now then, this has been fun, but play time is over. Make it work, Arty…" Spiro pulled a gun from Blunt's belt and aimed it at Jack's neck. "Or your girlfriend is dead."

Jack stifled a cry. Her knees shook as she forgot about her role as the defiant teen. This was not acting and the game was indeed over. Artemis held up his hands.

"Alright! I'll do it."

Artemis cut a wire.

"There. It's running on the old 1.0 version. It will respond to you now, but it's more temperamental."

"You lied to me. You didn't need the girl to work the C Cube. She must have been part of your escape plan."

"A small but vital part yes."

"Then what's to stop me from killing her now?"

He cocked the gun. Jack whimpered.

"Holly…"

"STOP!" Artemis cried. He was no longer acting either. "Please. I beg you. Please don't kill her."

"Please? Are we being polite all of a sudden."

"Cube…" Jack whimpered in a last ditch attempt to live to her fourteenth birthday. "Gun to the neck, surrounded by hostels. Assess and Advise."

"My advice," Foaly's voice said through the computer's speaker, "is to kiss your tail good-bye."

Jack began crying, but Spiro released her. Artemis stooped to help her to her feet. He stared at the Cube in surprise and astonishment.

"What the hell just happened?"

"It's the Cube," Artemis explained. "I told you it was temperamental."

"Temperamental? You're a box not my Grandmother, Cube."

"I am not a box. I am a marvel of artificial intelligence. I think therefore I learn."

Artemis winced. "See what I mean?"

"Are you giving me attitude, Cube?"

"I will give you whatever my processors are capable of."

"Right, then. Let's try this puppy out. Cube, are there any satellites on this building right now?"

"Only one, but judging from the ion trails, this building has been hit more times than the Millennium Falcon."

Spiro shot Artemis a look.

"His personality chip is faulty. That's why I discontinued it. It can be fixed at any moment."

"What is the LEP?"

"A Lebanese TV network. Mostly games shows."

Spiro danced a victory dance.

"This has taken years off me. I feel like putting on a tux and going to prom."

Pex and Chips came in.

"There you are. Tell me, just how did Artemis and Jackie here get past you?"

"We don't know. We never saw them."

"Well, now." Spiro rubbed his hands together. "What to do first?"

"I know what I'd do," Pex said. "I'd stick it to those Phonetix guys."

Spiro was amazed. Not only had Pex had an idea, but it had been a good one.

"What a good idea. I hate those guys! Cube, I want you to copy the Phonetix database for all projects."

"No can do. Their system is a closed system. I have to be on site."

"That can be arranged. Cube can you disable their security system?"

"Can a dwarf blow a hole in his pants?"

"What was that, Cube?"

"Technical stuff. You wouldn't understand. I have disabled the system and knocked out the guards with their own knock out gas security vise."

Spiro chuckled. "I'm starting to like this guy."

"Mr. Spiro, please don't do this," Jack said. "It's an awful lot to risk on a revenge plot."

"I don't think it's a good idea," Artemis agreed.

"Of course you don't. That's why I'm bringing you two with me."

**Phonetix Laboratories**

They drove in an old car with a fake registration. Spiro often used this car as a getaway car. Blunt pulled up in front of the lab and checked the visible guard through binoculars. Artemis and Jack were squished in the backseat between Pex and Chips.

"Sleeping like a baby," Blunt announced.

"Just like you will be when Butler is finished with you," Jack replied coldly. "A nice long dirt nap."

Blunt glanced at her over his shoulder. She glared back. Spiro ignored them and clapped a hand on Blunt's shoulder.

"Excellent. We have two hours. If the kid is right about this Cube we should be in and out in less than fifteen minutes."

"It's a machine," Artemis said coldly. "Not one of your steroid munching associates."

Blunt looked over his shoulder again, this time at Artemis.

"You're very brave all of a sudden."

Artemis shrugged.

"What have I got to lose? After all, things can hardly get worse."

They entered the lab thanks to Foaly unlocking the door for them. Blunt check the security monitors. All through the labs there were guards sleeping at their posts.

"Cube, where is the video room?"

"Down the hall, third door on the left but there's no need to raid it. I've already wiped your images from the cameras. Just pop me on top of the processor of the main computer and my omni-sensor will do the rest."

Spiro complied and in seconds schematics flashed across the screen.

"Download complete."

Blunt checked an image of a security monitor.

"Mr. Spiro, we have a big problem."

At once Spiro rounded on Artemis and grabbed his shoulders.

"What have you done? Is this some kind of…"

The accusation died in his throat.

"Your eyes. What's wrong with your eyes? They're different colors."

Artemis gave his best vampire smile. Spiro looked at Jack and could not resist a gasp. Sparks were wiping away the bruise that Loafers supposedly gave her. And her eyes! They weren't just green. They were on fire. Like burning sulfur. And her hair was glowing.

"All the better to see you with," Artemis said.

"What is that in your eye?"

"Nothing. It was never here."

"Just like we were never here," Jack added.

Spiro's face twisted with pure, unbridled hatred. "Oh you're here. And you'll never leave."

"Boss, you really need to see this," Blunt said.

Spiro looked at the monitor. There were no sleeping guards. Instead Spiro and company could be seen breaking into the lab except for one crucial detail. There was no sign of Artemis or Jack.

"What's happening Cube?" Spiro demanded. "You said we were wiped from the system."

"I lied. It must be the criminal personality I'm developing."

Spiro threw the Cube on the floor but it did not break. Jack gently picked it up.

"Tough polymer," she said. "Nearly unbreakable. My idea."

"The Cube was working for me all along, Spiro," Artemis said.

"So we're on camera. Big deal. We'll just pay the video room a little visit first."

"It won't be that simple," Jack said.

"And who's going to stop me? Little old you?"

It was Artemis's turn.

"No." He pointed at the screens that displayed the Chicago Police outside. "Little old them."

"SWAT, helicopters, where did they come from?"

"Police department," Jack answered. "Duh!"

Spiro smacked himself in the head.

"This whole thing was a set up. That monkey, Mo, was working for you."

"Of course. Pex and Chips as well, though they did not know it. You will go down the only way someone like you can. Hard."

"If I go down, so will you."

Jack shook her head and smiled as if Spiro were a child suggesting the moon was made of cheese.

"But we were never here. The cameras will prove that."

"You were here. Your bodies will prove that. Give me a gun. I'm shooting them myself."

Blunt handed over his gun. Pex and Chips backed away several feet. The boss was not known for excellent marksmanship.

"You have taken everything from me," he shouted. "Everything!"

Artemis and Jack were calm as they took hands. "You don't understand, Jon. I was never here. Jack was never here." He took a breath and an edge appeared to his voice when he spoke again. "One more thing. About my name, Artemis. You were right in London. It's generally used as a female name; after the Greek goddess of archery. But every once and a while, a man comes along with such a talent for hunting that he earns the right to use the name. I am that male. Artemis the hunter. I hunted you."

With that, they vanished. Holly had draped a sheet of cam foil over them and clipped them to her Moonbelt. She hoisted them into the air. Below them Spiro was losing his mind.

Spiro pointed the gun at Pex and Chips.

"Where is he! He said you were working for him. Now where are they?"

"We don't know sir. Honest."

"This isn't over Fowl," Spiro shouted at the ceiling twelve feet to the left of Jack. "I will find you! You have my word on that!"

He began firing random shots hitting conduits and monitors. One actually punctured the cam foil and glanced over Jack's shoulder. The girl did not cry out and simply let her magic do its job. Blunt tried to escape, but he was trapped. Then the elevator dinged.

Holly disarmed the men while Juliet knocked Blunt to the floor, breaking his nose and blinding him for a few minutes. Plenty of time for SWAT to get in.

Meanwhile, Jack and Artemis were packed very close together in the cam foil. Artemis used sign language to make sure she was alright. She nodded as the last blue spark wiped away her flesh wound. He then started on his computer. He started to take the entire 2.8 billion dollars of Spiro Industries, but stopped at the last second, his father's voice ringing in his head. Finally, after deducting a ten percent finder's fee, he sent the money to Amnesty International. Jack watched him. She could not speak for safety reasons so she just smiled and touched his shoulder. He half smiled back as he hacked into Foaly's computer and changed the date of the warrant for Mulch's original arrest to the day after the dwarf was arrested. It would make all of his other arrests null and void. He looked at Jack again. He expected her to be irritated at this move, but she was still smiling. After all, they did owe Mulch for his help in this venture.

Finally, he logged out and clipped the Cube to Holly's belt.

Below, Juliet was surrounded by Pex and Chips, their fists raised.

"Sorry boys, Barney says go to sleep."

It was a trigger Holly had planted under a mesmer. The large men were snoring before they hit the ground. Spiro was still gibbering and sulking when the police arrested him minutes later.

Mulch was waiting for them in the van. On his foot was a piece of board taped to his foot. The other end was taped to the gas petal. Juliet looked the contraption over doubtfully.

"What if you need to use the brake?"

Mulch smiled. "Why would I need the brake? It's not like I'm taking my driver's test."

Holly, Artemis and Jack all reached for their seat belts simultaneously.

**Chapter 11**

Butler was finishing his Pilates when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Butler, it's Jim Richard."

"Hey there. Those results came back quick."

"The results were positive. The girl is the daughter of the two other samples you sent me. Who are they anyway?"

A car door outside slammed shut. Butler looked out the window to find Jack and Artemis coming up the drive with Juliet, Holly and a protesting Mulch behind them. He breathed easy. They were okay. He knew the samples were not mixed up. They couldn't have been.

"Butler, are you there?"

There had been no mix up. It could mean only one thing. But how was it possible? How could he not have known? How could he have ever doubted?

"Hello?"

"I'm here. Sorry. Thanks Jim, but I have to go."

"Bye."

Butler hung up and went to greet Artemis, Jack and his sister.

"Good, you're okay. Now I need to go."

"Butler, you're in no condition to go any where," Jack protested.

"I have to."

"Blunt?" Artemis guessed.

"Yes."

"It's okay, old friend. He's in prison now."

"Not anymore."

The young teenagers saw the man would not be dissuaded.

"At least take Holly then. Or Jack at the least."

"I was hoping to take both of them."

Arno Blunt had escaped from the Chicago police intent on getting revenge against Artemis Fowl the Second. He had not anticipated having his passport checked by an old friend of Butler's. So he was detained and Butler was there in half an hour.

"Any point in asking how you got here so fast?" his friend asked.

"No. The less you know the better."

Commons led the way to the glassed in room. They could see Blunt but he could not see them.

"Is that the man who shot you?"

"Yes."

"You realized we don't have much. It's your word against his and you don't look shot to me."

"I don't suppose…"

"No. I can't let you in there. I'll be out of a job for sure."

"I understand. Mind if I stay? I'd like to see how it turns out."

"Sure. I'll be right back with your visitor's pass. I mean it, Butler. Stay out of that room. I'm watching you." Commons pointed at the surveillance camera in the hall's corner.

"Don't worry, Sid. You won't see me in that room."

Holly unshielded by Butler's leg as Commons left.

"Cameras," Butler hissed.

"Don't worry. They can't see me here."

After a moment she took out a sheet of cam foil and said, "Okay, Foaly has done his part. We are now mike and video proof."

"Jack?"

Burning green eyes and red hair slowly appeared as Jack unshielded.

"Right here."

"Shield again. We're going in."

Jack vanished as Butler threw the cam foil around himself.

"You have two minutes," Holly said.

Arno Blunt was not worried. It was a bum wrap. The door opened a foot then closed. He sighed.

"Arno Blunt," a deep voice said.

"Speakers? That's really lame!"

Jack shimmered into view. Arno was on his feet in an instant. She smiled in a very good impression of Artemis's vampire smile.

"I told you he was coming for you." As she disappeared again, she added in a sing song voice, "You didn't run fast enough."

He reached out, but his hand only found air.

"What the hell is this?!"

"I've come to even the score," Butler said.

"Butler?"

Butler chucked slightly at the slight tremble in Blunt's voice.

"I told you he was coming," Jack whispered in his ear.

Arno swung a large fist, but Jack had already moved. Her giggle echoed throughout the room. An eerie childish giggle.

"What kind of game is this? Am I supposed to cry like a baby because you found someone who sounds like one of my… someone I knew?"

"It's no trick Arno. I'm right here."

Butler threw off the foil. Blunt saw him step out of air. Invisible to all, Jack picked up the foil and prepared it for the next step.

"What are you?!"

"I am your guide, Blunt. There is a hell. I've seen it and you will too."

Jack sang in her eerie childish voice.

_Arno Blunt went out to fight._

_He thought he'd win with might._

_But Butler's back and not very well_

_And bringing Blunt back to Hell._

"I didn't know," Blunt sobbed. "I was just following orders."

"I believe you. But that's not enough. You must clear your conscious to the authorities. Leave nothing out or I will be back."

Blunt nodded eagerly. Prison was better than the alternative.

"Remember, I will be watching. This is your one chance to come clean on your own."

"I'll do it."

Jack stood on the table and draped the foil over Butler again. He vanished in front of Blunt.

"You had better."

Butler and Jack went back into the observation room, Jack still shielded. Commons came back and saw the stunned look on Blunt's face. He rounded on Butler.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. He just started raving about wanting to confess and something about hell. Check your tapes. I haven't left this spot."

**Chapter Twelve**

Artemis and the Butlers were preparing for the mind wipes Jack was trying to convince Holly not to do it.

"What if this changes him back to how he was?"

"Jack, I know this is hard. I don't like it either, but I'm under orders."

"Foaly…"

"Sorry. I have to."

"But two years of memories!"

"It won't be all of them. Just the ones that deal with us."

"And me," Jack said bitterly. "You're taking me away from Juliet entirely aren't you."

"Not if we don't have to."

Artemis led his employees to the yard. Foaly explained the treatments Butler would receive to make him look younger again. Artemis gave the same debate Jack had, but to no avail. Jack and Juliet hugged tightly, unsure if their friendship would be allowed to continue and savoring the last moments in case it was the last time. Jack turned to Butler who scooped her into his arms, brushed away the tears and held her close.

"It's not the end, Jack. I promise. I'll be back, one way or another."

He set her down and winked. She brushed away her tears in confusion.

Root's face appeared on the screen. Jack tried one more time.

"Julius, what if this turns Art back the way he was? You have to agree this model is a great improvement."

"My hands are tied. Fowl has become a danger to the People. I'm sorry, Jack, but there's no other way."

Artemis gave Mulch the disk Butler had disguised as the coin Holly had given him the year before. Finally he said his thanks to Holly, Root, Foaly and Jack who had started crying again. She left before Artemis had finished.

Butler stood. "Jack!"

"It's okay Butler. Maybe she has the better idea." Artemis blinked away the itchiness in his eyes. This was no time for emotions he would only forget in a matter of minutes.

Jack waited to hear from Holly. Finally her cell phone rang.

"Holly?"

"It's me."

"Well, do I still have a best friend?"

"I'm sorry, Jack. We tried. But we found out your friendship with Juliet half triggered Artemis's research into our world. We can't risk that."

Jack hung up the phone and wept bitterly. When her foster mother came in, she refused dinner. She did not eat the next day either. Instead she rode her bike all the way to Fowl Manor and stared up at the mansion from the main gate. Her phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Jack, it's Foaly. I have you on satellite. You can't go-"

She hung up and rode back home.

Butler watched her on the security screens. Jack vanished from the frame as Artemis came in.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Just the neighborhood kids."

But Butler mind was whirling. Who was that? How old was she? Why did she look so much like… _her_.

**Computer journal of Jackie Mannheim: Encrypted**

I can't believe it still. I've lost the only friends I really had. Juliet and I will never be allowed to see each other again. She doesn't even know me. And Artemis, as I had known and grown to like (maybe even fancy), is gone. And unless he did something to save himself, he's never coming back.


	4. Book 4 Rewrite

Three months had passed since Artemis had helped the LEP capture the little demon that was let loose among humans

**Excerpt from Jackie Mannheim's computer journal: posted on fairy website:**

I want to abolish all rumors surrounding the recent scandal involving Holly Short. Holly was not the cause of the problem, she kept it from getting worse! And it was bad enough anyway.

**Former East Berlin, Germany**

Butler looked down at the street. A young fourteen year old teenage girl with red hair and green flame eyes was sipping tea while reading the newspaper. The oversized bodyguard wasn't fooled for a second. It was Jackie Mannheim and she had been following Artemis and him for months. Butler had tried to warn his employer of her appearance, but all Artemis could think about was the _Fairy Thief_. Butler did nothing to the girl. She looked so much like _her_. She was even outside the bar _she_ once worked in. He had been sorely tempted to go into the bar…

Butler shook a thought from his head. She was the wrong age.

_Only by a few months, at most._

She was the wrong age.

_You weren't there. How do you know?_

I was there for the important part.

_You can't be sure. You don't even know her birthday._

She's the wrong age! She has to be! I couldn't bare it if she was…

Butler shook his head again. Jack's appearance was one of many concerns the bodyguard had. Another was that he was slower. The man in the mirror was only forty, but he felt older. He was less focused. His mind seemed to be more prone to wandering.

_Like right now_, he scolded himself mildly.

Butler's eyes were drawn to the sky. Something was coming towards their window. He only had seconds to act. He burst into Artemis's room, grabbed the boy and the painting and leapt from the third floor balcony. Artemis bounced off Butler's stomach and landed painfully. When he opened his eyes all he could see were two figures leaning over him.

"Artemis?" a muffled voice called.

Then, nothing…

Jack Mannheim knew Butler was watching her, but she did her best to ignore him while still spying on him. She looked up just in time to see Butler and Artemis fall and the blue rinse of a bio bomb. Fear sank in as her stomach plunged to her feet. She threw a few euros on the table and ran to the place they fell, but she wasn't alone.

"Holly!"

"Jack?"

"Arty! Is he okay?"

"Just knocked out."

"But the blood…!"

"He broke some ribs, but I healed them. Put up your shield. I have to get you two out of here."

"What's going on?"

"Just come on."

"No. Holly, whatever is going on Artemis is the key target, not Butler. Get Art out of here. I'll stay with Butler."

"Jack…"

"Holly, neither of them have any idea what's going on. You take Artemis. I'll stay with Butler and explain things to him. Go."

Holly took Artemis to a blind in Ireland while Jack nudged Butler in an attempt to wake him up. She noticed a cut on his head. She placed her hand over the spot and sent a charge of magic to him. The sparks focused on his head and left arm, which had cracked when he landed.

Slowly Butler opened his eyes. He felt something coursing through his body. Pain in his head and arm slowly melted away. He rolled over and found a pair of fiery green eyes beneath glowing red hair.

"Ingrid?"

"It's Jack, Butler. Come on, you've got to get up."

"Jack?"

_Mannheim_, his subconscious said, but his conscious mind paid no attention.

"Yes. No doubt you've noticed me following you."

Butler's eyes focused.

"You!"

"Yes, me. Now please _move_!"

"Artemis. Where is he?"

"He's safe. I promise you. Holly is taking him back to Ireland."

"Who is Holly?"

"There will be plenty of time to explain on the way to Fowl Manor, but we are still in danger here. Please… _move_!"

Butler could no longer argue. A crowd was beginning to gather. They slipped through the crowd with surprising ease. No one seemed to notice them which was an unusual experience for the large bodyguard. Not many people could go without noticing a six and a half foot tall giant of a man.

They went back to the hotel room and packed Artemis's bag of tricks, along with his own. Butler noticed piles of dead insects, yet no other damage. As if the only thing affected by the bomb was life.

"Blue rinse," Jack said looking at the insects.

"What?"

"I'll explain on the way. Come on. Check out and let's go."

"No. If we check out it will send up red flags. We go straight to the airport…" He took his phone from his pocket and found it reduced to so much chips and wire. "Right after I get another phone."

"No need. We can use mine."

She got into the car with Butler and hit speed dial four, Fowl Manor. Butler noticed but said nothing.

"You have a voice mail," she said. "It's from Artemis. He's fine. Holly is with him… oh here!"

She placed the phone on speaker so Butler could hear as Artemis described the day's events from the surprisingly clear speaker.

"An elf? What is all this?"

"Just listen."

Suddenly, it was no longer a simple phone call. A new voice was heard. Artemis tried to reason with the new person called Opal Koboi only to have the… pixie? order him silenced. For a sinking moment, Butler and Jack feared the worst until Opal announced he was not dead, just painfully stunned. When Holly fell, Jack lost her composer.

"Holly! Holly, say something!"

The message ended. Jack ended the call.

"What was she talking about? What is going on?"

"Okay Butler. I'll tell you, but you are not going to like it."

She told him everything. It was a difficult story to hear, but Butler did not argue. After all, she looked just like Ingrid. How old was she? Was she the right age?

"Jack, is that your name?"

"Yes."

"Jack, who was your mother?"

"I don't know. I was raised by Rob in Haven. He was the one that gave me magic. It was an experiment to see if humans could live in peace with fairies. That's why I have a broader forehead and pointed ears. Rob gave me implants to pass me off as a fairy."

He decided not to attempt to decipher the fairy code.

"When were you born then?"

"I'm not sure really, but Rob figured it would have been in July so I tell people July twelfth. Why?"

Butler swallowed. She was exactly the right age.

"Nothing. Forget it."

"I can prove what I'm saying is true."

"I'd be happy to hear it because so far it sounds like a badly written children's book."

"You've told me about Ingrid. She was a barmaid you knew here in Germany. She used to work in the bar I was sitting in front of. You were very close but you had to leave her behind when your cover was compromised. She helped you escape to the safety of West Berlin."

Butler glanced at her.

"How do you know that?"

"You told me. It was just before you got the teaser email from the Mayfia regarding Master Fowl. I was trying to talk to you about the night Artemis kidnapped me and Holly and you told me about it, mostly to change subjects I think."

Butler did not respond. He did not believe the off the wall fairy tale he had just been told for one second. He did know two things though: First, Artemis had been kidnapped by a lunatic bent on revenge for something Artemis had done, though he wasn't sure what. Second, while he did not know who this girl was next to him, this Jack person somehow knew things about him that he had not told anyone. He supposed it was possible to find out about Ingrid. There were people who saw him with the young barmaid. Though the chances of the teenager sitting next to him finding those people were slim, it was still possible. Of course Jack would know about her if she was Ingrid's daughter. But if that were the case, why the fairytale?

"I don't know how you know about Ingrid, but right now I have to get Artemis back. I'll deal with you later."

Jack kicked the dash board of the car in frustration. She threw her feet up and pouted the rest of the way to Ireland. Her pout was even like Rene's. When they arrive at Fowl Manor, Butler drew his gun which frightened Jack.

"There's no need for that!"

"Quiet Jack."

Jack then noticed the same thing Butler did. The alarm was not going off. They examined the alarm box and found it encased in a fiberglass like substance.

"What is that?" Butler asked.

"I'm not sure. Looks organic though, like harden spittle."

"I've never seen glowing spit before. Keep behind me."

"So now we're friends?" Jack whispered grumpily.

"Just stay close and low."

Jack obeyed. While unlikely, it was possible that Opal had been to visit Fowl Manor. However as they continued searching this became even less likely. When they entered the lobby, Butler sticking close to the walls and Jack right under him, they found a trail of food. A hungry kidnapper? A bottle of Merlot and a desecrated chicken carcass was next. Another five feet on and they found half an eaten t-bone steak. They followed the food trail to the study. A not very tall person was sitting in the chair. Artemis?

Butler's hopes rose for a second when he heard his employer's voice, but then quickly sank. The words were the same from the voice mail. Butler signaled Jack to remain where she was and he sneaked up behind the short intruder.

"Not good," the diminutive, hairy intruder said. "This is really bad."

Butler leveled his Sig Sauer to the man's head.

"It's about to get a lot worse."

The creature turned. Jack smiled and rushed forward. She poured herself into the dwarf's outstretched arms.

"Mulch, it's you! When did they let you out of prison?"

"Who said I was let out? I escaped the moment I heard about Julius. I swam all the way from the English Channel, broke into an Irish black smith shop to snip off my mouth ring. Don't ask," he added at the questioning look Butler gave him. "_Then_ I burrow half way across the country to find out the truth of all this only to find myself at gun point by one of the only Mud Men I don't feel like talking a bite out of."

"Butler, put that away," Jack chided. "Mulch is a friend."

"He is?"

"Not at first," Mulch admitted. "But I think you grew to like me for my charm and noble character."

Jack grinned.

"Noble character? Who'd you steal that from?"

"I haven't a clue what you mean?"

"I bet," Jack said as she took her wallet back from Mulch's pocket.

Butler cleared his throat loudly. Mulch frowned at him.

"You don't believe us do you?"

"Do I believe in fairies, tunneling dwarves, humans with magic and pixie revenge conspiracies? No, of course not!"

Mulch took a disk from inside his shirt.

"Maybe this will change your mind."

Jack smiled and punched the air triumphantly. "He did it again. Way to go Arty!"

Butler chose a computer in the study, loaded the disk and scanned for viruses. Finding the disk clean, he opened it's contents and found two files. One labeled "Artemis" and the other "Butler." Butler clicked on his file. A video clip was marked, "Open this first." Butler double clicked on it.

Artemis appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Butler. If you are watching this, then our good friend, Mister Diggums, has come through for us."

"You hear that," Mulch said. "Our good friend."

"Quiet."

"Quite possibly even Jack has made an appearance to you as well."

Butler looked at the girl next to him, but she was getting a glass of water and did not meet his eye.

"Everything you know of the earth is about to change. The old stories of fairies are very much true. Jack Mannheim is living proof of that, but more of that later. It is possible that we have received this message early due to trouble from our fairy friends. In order to verify everything I am about to tell you I will say one word. Just one. It was something you told me as you lay dieing in my and Jack's arms. What would you tell me if you were about to die?"

"I would tell you my name."

"Your name, old friend…"

Butler leaned forward in his seat. He felt Jack place her hand on his arm.

"Is Domovoi."

Butler's mind was sent reeling. It was true! Jack squeezed his arm as the memories came rushing back to him. The kidnapping of Holly and Jack. The fight with the troll. The B'wa Kell rebellion. Rescuing Artemis Sr. from the Artic. Jon Spiro and Arno Blunt.

And, of course, Jack. Lovely little Jack who he had once wondered was the daughter of Ingrid. Shocking DNA results had brought the truth. Most people thought the children in their lives were special. Butler knew Jack was special alright. In ways even she was not yet aware. Butler looked down at the young teenager by his arm and smiled. He touched her cheek and she smiled back.

"Had I known that was all it would take," she said, "I'd have told you your name from the start."

He kissed the top of her head. The action puzzled but pleased Jack, for Butler was the closest thing to a male figurehead she had left. Butler looked at Mulch who was half hidden behind the mini refrigerator door.

"Mulch, you old reprobate. Good to see you."

"Now he remembers. Have anything to say?"

"Yea, button your bum flap, will you?" A sinking feeling came to him and he looked at Jack. "I heard something about Julius Root and a bomb."

Mulch answered.

"Yes," the dwarf said solemnly. "Julius was killed by Opal Koboi."

Butler felt a sense of weariness. Another comrade gone.

"What's worse is Holly is being blamed."

Butler looked at Jack in disbelief.

"That's just not possible. We have to find them."

"Now you're talking," Mulch said. "Have a plan?"

"Find Holly and Artemis."

"Wow," Jack said sarcastically. "With strategy skills like that it's a wonder we ever need Artemis."

Butler looked from Jack to Mulch.

"Mulch, could you excuse us for a second? I need to talk to Jack for a moment."

"Sure. I was meaning to check your main refrigerator."

Butler sat Jack down.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong Jack. Everything will be okay again. But there is something I should have told you a long time ago. I lost the knowledge when they did my mind wipe. Just before I went under I swore if I ever got to tell you I would."

"Tell me what?"

"That locket I once showed you that the German bar maid gave me has a lock of hair in it from Ingrid Schultz. I sent one of those hairs and one of your hairs to a friend of mine. I also… sent some of my DNA. The results came back positive." Butler took a deep breath. "Jack, I am your…"

"Butler, I get it," Jack said quickly. "No need for a Star Wars moment."

"I'm not sure what the next step for us is."

"The next step is to put this aside for a little while. We have to get Artemis and Holly."

She was right of course.

Butler, Jack and Mulch sat at the conference table and caught each other up. Butler cleaned his Sig Sauer as they talked. It was a common thing for him to do in times of stress. Jack watched him closely. Butler smiled and adjusted to give her a better view of what he was doing.

"Maybe when you're big enough to hold it, I'll show you how to fire it."

Jack smiled, but it was a strain for her. After all, he had only been her father for a few minutes. The idea would take getting used to.

Mulch cleared his throat.

"Opal escapes from prison, begins a complicated revenge plot and pins the blame on Holly."

"Remind you of anyone?" Mulch said.

Butler polished the Sig Sauer's slide. "Artemis is a criminal but not evil."

Jack said nothing. Butler noticed.

"Surely you don't disagree?"

"If we can't find him, save him, _and_ restore his memories, I fear he could turn that way."

Butler did not respond.

"So Artemis and Holly have been taken and Opal has something planned for them. Something to do with Eleven Wonders and trolls. Any ideas?"

"We all know about trolls."

Butler nodded, amazed that Foaly was able to erase his fight with the bull troll from his memory.

"But what are the Eleven Wonders? I thought there were only seven."

"There were eleven," Mulch answered. "Trust me. I have the pictures. Now you can only see them at the old amusement park."

"Amusement park?" Butler looked at Jack.

"Don't look at me. It closed before Rob brought me to Haven."

"The tunnels are dangerous," Mulch agreed. "And overrun with trolls." The dwarf's eyes widened with realization. "That's it! She's going to feed them to the trolls!"

Butler quickly reassembled his gun.

"We need to get down there right now."

"How? There's no way!"

Butler grabbed Mulch by the arm and led him out the door with Jack so close behind him he could have trampled her.

"You know someone. People like you always know someone."

"What about Chix?" Jack offered. "He owes Holly his life."

"It won't be legal," Mulch said.

"Good," Butler grunted. "Illegal is always faster."

Jack sighed. "I need a vacation."

"Don't we all," Butler said as he checked the Bentley for bombs. "Get in."

The trolls were advancing. Artemis was terrified as Holly searched for an escape. Suddenly a voice called to them.

"This way, Holly! In the river!"

Artemis looked. A middle aged, male pixie was waving at them from across the river. Artemis was perplexed but Holly grabbed his collar and led him to the river. They jumped in and grabbed the plastic logs that the pixie had thrown in. The pixie male joined them just before a troll grabbed him. As they floated the pixie offered his hand to Artemis.

"Rob Goodfellow. Jack has told me a lot about you."

"Who is Jack?"

"He doesn't remember her, Rob. Foaly did a mid wipe on him."

"Oh. What's he doing here then?"

"No time to explain. We need a plan before the end of the river."

"If only I knew what you say I know," Artemis said.

"Just follow me kids. I've been here for a good while."

The trip to the Eleven Wonders left plenty of time for Butler to fully explain everything to Jack.

"It was a one night stand… but that's not to say I didn't love her. She had learned my cover had been blown as she listened to some men I was watching in her pub. She asked me over for dinner just to get me out of the flat I was using as a base. One thing led to the other…"

"Butler," Jack said wincing, "I don't need to hear this part."

"Right. Anyway, I just don't understand how I didn't know about this. She became quite famous as you already know."

"Ingrid Schultz," Jack said with a nod. "The lead singer for the band Rivalry. I guess that explains why I look like her. She's my… mother."

Jack stirred in her seat, unsure how to feel about it.

"She was picked up in another bar in West Berlin by an American talent agent and swept off to the country to begin recording. From there I don't know anything. I've kept up with her interviews but I never found anything about a daughter."

"I did," Jack said in a hallow tone. "One article I found was on not well known secrets of celebrities. The magazine said Ingrid Schultz had a miscarriage just after she started her first album. I guess her manager lied to her about it and paid the doctor to send me to an orphanage where I was picked up by Rob."

"So," Mulch said from the front seat, for he had been ease dropping, "the Butler line continues. Does Holly know?"

"No. Artemis doesn't either."

Butler and Jack exchanged uneasy looks. How would the boy take the news?

Rob led the way to a whirlpool. It sucked them down into a forgotten tunnel. They found their way up into the artificial sky, but it was no good. The trolls found them anyway. Holly took Artemis by the shoulder and looked at Rob.

"I wish there was a way I could have you cleared of your charges, Rob."

"It's okay, Captain. From what I've heard the past half day, I wish I could do the same for you."

"Close your eyes, Artemis. You won't feel a thing."

Artemis looked up. He wished he could have been a better son. One his parents could have been proud of. He wondered how long they would wonder before passing him off as dead. Then he saw a very hairy posterior on a rope.

"Now I know I'm hallucinating."

Holly and Rob looked up. Rob smiled.

"I think that's my former cellmate. Mulch, is that you?"

"You took your sweet time getting here!" Holly cried.

"Nice to see you too, Holly. Hello, Rob. If anything is open, see that it is closed quickly."

Holly and Rob clamped their hands over Artemis's mouth and nose and held him down as Mulch released a bowel full of dwarf gas on the trolls. He then lowered himself to them and Butler pulled everyone into the ship. Jack was at once in Rob's arms and Butler gave Artemis a field inspection.

"Holly fixed up your ribs I see," Butler said with a massive hand on the boy's chest.

"You found us!" Rob said clapping Mulch on the shoulder. "How?"

"Jack rigged the thermal cameras to meld with the X-ray filter," Butler said proudly. He held his hand out to Rob. "Butler."

"Robert Goodfellow. Most call me Rob."

The name clicked at once for Butler. This was the pixie that gave Jack her magic. Holly checked the computer controls.

"Mulch, what did you do?! You came all the way down here in second gear!"

"Butler, I turned down gold," Artemis said in a whisper.

Butler smiled at his employer. "Yes, you were becoming quite charitable before the mind wipe."

Jack looked at Artemis.

"Artemis… do you know who I am?"

All eyes, except Holly who was starting the shuttle, looked from Artemis to Jack. No one spoke as Artemis looked over the girl before him. Something flashed in his memory. A chess game…? Those green flaming eyes…? And then it was gone.

"No," he said at last. "I don't."

Nothing could mask the disappointment etched into Jack's face. Rob started to put his arm around her shoulder but she pulled away.

"Hold on back there," Holly called. "We have to go."

"Am I safe to assume you, Butler, remember everything?" Artemis asked.

"Yes. You gave Mulch a disk disguised as the gold coin Holly gave you after our trek through the Artic. There was a message on it for both of us. But there's something you should know…"

"One surprise at a time, Butler," Jack interrupted.

She handed over the disk.

"At last. Some intelligent conversation."

Jack shook her head angrily as Artemis walked past her.

"I'm gonna slap him one of these days."

"He'll know you're his equal soon," Butler whispered.

Jack smiled at him.

"You really think I'm his equal?"

The question was layered. The quest for the C Cube had made Jack see Artemis in a new light. And she had liked what she had seen. Butler knew this as well, but knew it would never come to pass. He only smiled. No need to crush her hopes. After all, she was only a child. _His_ only child.

(Besides, as smart as Artemis was, Butler was _not_ okay with the idea of his Principle dating his daughter.)

Artemis was in the small restroom for an hour looking over footage of his actions with the People and Jack. It was all too fantastic to be true, but Artemis found himself accepting every new fact. Once or twice, the videos were interrupted by Jack calling outside of the camera's view. This mildly annoyed Artemis, but when the Video-Artemis reappeared on the screen he was smiling. He hinted at confessions he would never admit to about Jackie Mannheim. Never.

When Artemis finally came from the bathroom, he found the rest of the group was starting to eat. He went to Jack first. She looked at him with the same hurt and disappointed eyes that had met his ignorance of her existence.

"I still say you cheated in the chess game."

Joy flooded her features. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. Artemis, completely bewildered by the gesture, awkwardly petted her on the top of the head. When she didn't let go, he shifted uneasily and finally placed an arm around her shoulder. To his eternal relief, this was the trigger that made her release him.

"I did not cheat," she responded with a broad grin. "You are just a sore loser."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the disk…"

But Jack was still smiling and waved the apology away.

"You couldn't risk me telling Holly. I understand."

Artemis smiled approvingly, but there was more to his smile as he looked at her. Butler's eyebrows contracted slightly.

"Welcome back, Mud Boy," Mulch said making his way for the bathroom. "Now get out of the way."

Holly jumped up, her juice forgotten, and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Artemis, it's good to have the real you back. Believe it or not I actually missed that smug grin of yours."

"I'm so sorry about Commander Root. I know our relationship was a rocky one, but I had nothing but respect and admiration for the commander."

Jack sniffed. Holly nodded and wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand. Artemis noticed Jack's tears were forming a puddle on her microcomputer. If he needed another reason to go after Opal Koboi, seeing the elf and Jack so disturbed was it.

"Now that we're all reacquainted," Butler said handing Jack a handkerchief to dry her eyes, "we should try to track Opal Koboi down. It's a big world."

"No need, Artemis said. "Like every megalomaniac, she has a tendency to show off."

Jack picked up and, after drying her tears from the screen, she showed her computer to Holly.

"She said her name was Belinda Zito."

"Exactly. Who better to be adopted by, but the Italian billionaire, Giovanni Zito?"

"And where is Dr. Zito?" Holly asked.

"Messina," Jack answered. "He's a good man. One of the few truly good humans out there." She looked at Butler and added, "That doesn't know of the People's existence, that is."

Mulch called out from the bathroom.

"If you are talking about Giovanni Zito I think you should watch CNN."

Jack turned on the television. Dr. Zito was on the screen.

"We are sending an unmanned probe bristling with sensors. Whatever is down there, we will find it."

"Foaly will take care of that," Holly said. "He has preparations for things like this. He's been watching this guy's progress for years."

"Keep listening," Artemis said.

"We detonate today. We have the iron ten years ahead of schedule. The time has come. My darling Belinda, this is for you."

"Foaly doesn't know Opal was helping him," Jack said as she clicked off the television.

Holly thought for a moment then said. "I have to turn myself in. There is more at stake here than my future."

"As noble as that is, Captain," Rob said, "what good will it do?"

"Not to mention Rob and I aren't in a hurry to get into a prison we just broke out of," Mulch agreed. "By the way, Rob, when did you escape?"

"About a month ago."

"Holly, they won't listen to you," Jack added. "Not with two felons and three humans backing your story. No offense, you lot."

"None taken," Mulch answered.

Holly looked up, her hazel eyes burning brighter than Jack's.

"Jack, Artemis, get those brains of your working. We're going after Opal Koboi ourselves. Get a plan together while I drive this heap."

The plan was simple, but the execution was not going to be. First off they had to find a shielded stealth shuttle. Holly was certain Artemis had a plan for that, but she would be wrong. Jack was the one to come up with that plan.

In all the excitement, however, no one had told Artemis or Holly what Butler had learned about Jack. One crisis at a time…

"It's ingeniously simple," Jack explained. "We just need to find were Opal's ship is not."

"I'm sure you have a point," Rob muttered as Artemis flipped through the camera filter options. "Go on. What are you looking for, Fowl?"

"Here we go," the boy said. "This filter shows the gases of the area."

"I know that already," Holly grunted irritably. "What do you think you will find? A hole in the air?"

"Exactly," the young teens said in one voice.

Rob thought for a second and grinned. These kids were geniuses. He had already known that of course, but times like this really pressed the matter.

"A stealth ship like Koboi's will prevent gases from being seen through the ship's hull," Artemis said.

"Therefore," Jack concluded, "if we find a spot with no gases at all then we've found her."

They watched the screen until they saw a small spot that reflected no gases.

"There she is!"

"Now what?"

Holly glanced at Jack and Artemis. Both were wearing vampire smiles. Despite the heat, Holly felt a shiver in her spine.

Holly pulled the shuttle into the position Artemis indicated.

"The clock is ticking. We just triggered two of Foaly's sensors. I'd say we had a little under half an hour."

"Perfect," Jack said as she watched Butler empty his duffle bag of weapons.

"I'm glad someone sees it that way," Mulch muttered.

"Are you backing out or just complaining?" Holly asked, not really caring about the answer.

"I think I have the right to complain. Why is it all of these plans involve me putting myself in danger?"

"Because only you can stop Koboi's plan," Artemis said.

"I'm not impressed. Human prison. Fairy prison. It's all the same to me."

"And you're getting a bar of gold," Jack said as she picked through the weapons for grenades.

"I am?"

"He is?"

Everyone looked at Jack. She shrugged.

"Why not? We are asking a lot of him. Don't worry Art; the gold will come from me and not you or the LEP."

"How big a bar?"

"Is a five pound ingot good enough for you?"

Mulch was suddenly more up to the challenge.

"And," Holly added, "if we make it, I'll start a campaign to have your past record eliminated."

"And future record?"

"No."

Mulch sighed as he opened the hatch. "Very well. I'll be back in twenty minutes. I expect payment as soon as you get back to the surface, Jack."

"I'm good for it."

"Only steal what you're supposed to," Artemis warned.

"Right." Anyone could see he wasn't listening to the boy.

"We mean it Mulch," Jack added. "You come back with anything else and I'm taking off an ounce from your gold."

Mulch would have responded testily if he had not just unhinged his jaw.

"Okay Holly," Jack called over Artemis's head as soon as Mulch was clear.

She and Butler each took a grenade. Artemis rolled his eyes. He was certain they were enjoying this a little too much. Rob strapped himself into the co pilot's chair next to Holly and Artemis sat behind them.

"Fly in a grid pattern like we're looking, but don't know exactly where." Artemis looked back at Jack and Butler. "Are you two certain you make her look the other way?"

"No problem."

"Can do."

"Jack."

Jack handed him the first grenade.

"Here you go, Dad."

"What was that?"

Artemis started to turn around but Jack pushed him so he stayed facing forward.

"Nothing. Focus, Art, would ya?"

Before Artemis could think to process what he had just heard, Butler opened the door as they rose from the ground. He popped the safety, pushed a button and tossed it out the door. The tennis ball sized sphere exploded ten seconds later. The explosion pushed Artemis's thoughts to the side and he focused on the issue at hand.

"Next grid square, please," Artemis said.

Jack and Holly smiled. The boy had asked nicely.

They continued lodging grenades for several minutes before going back into the chute. They found Mulch at the rendezvous point. Butler hauled him into the ship.

"Everything went according to plan," Mulch said handing over the bulging bag.

"Is this going to work, Artemis?" Holly asked.

"As long as we can keep Opal distracted long enough."

Holly smiled.

"No worries then. It's not often I get to do fancy flying. Opal will be so busy trying to catch us she won't have time to think of anything else." A few minutes later the elf announced, "They're on us."

Opal Koboi's ship was coming up behind them. No one doubted that she had noticed the missing charges. Their plan was to catch up with Artemis and the crew and set off the charges. Once Holly had reached a depth of one hundred and five, Artemis gave to order to pull over. She did and Butler opened the bag.

Opal Koboi picked up a call on the communicator Mulch had left behind. Artemis was sitting calmly in a chair with Jack sitting on the chair's arm rest. They almost looked like a pair of children playing house. But their expressions were of forced confidence.

"Opal," Artemis said. "We are giving you one last chance to surrender."

"Bravo children. Wonderful bluff, for we both know that is exactly what this is."

"So you refuse to surrender?" Jack asked as she fiddled with a lock of short hair, a nervous habit.

"Yes, I think I will carry on in spite the horrible odds. By the way, do not look directly at the screen. It's bad for my skin."

Artemis and Jack exchanged slight glances at the request then ignored it.

"Very well then. If we are going to die we may as well go on full stomachs."

Opal's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Mulch did not simply take the charges. He took something else as well."

Jack and Artemis each took a truffle and touched them together as if toasting glasses. The pair ate the delights slowly.

"Oh wow!" Jack said. "These are divine!"

"I see why you missed them in the institution," Artemis agreed.

"You took my truffles! That's just mean!"

"We're gonna have to hurry if we're gonna eat all these before she kills us."

"At least we won't have to worry about belly aches later," Rob's voiced called from off camera.

"Who is that?" Opal screeched.

Rob came into view, gave a cheery wave and stuffed two truffles in his mouth before Holly pushed her way into the screen, her cheek swollen with the sweets.

"They really melt in your mouth."

"Final meal of a condemned crew," Butler's voice said from off camera.

"I killed you too quickly before. A mistake I won't make again."

Jack laughed and moved the communicator so it was pointed at Mulch. The dwarf was pouring a small tray of them into his abnormally large mouth. The screen moved back to her and Artemis.

"Did you see that?" Jack asked. "That's his third tray."

"Knock it off Mulch," Rob said off camera. "Save some for the rest of us."

"Get your own, you mad scientist! These are mine!"

"The detonation signal!"

"Almost there, Miss Koboi," Merv Brill answered.

Opal went to her booty box. There was no way the dwarf could have taken all the truffles _and_ the charges! She opened the hiding spot and found two armed charges staring at her. The twenty second count down started.

Opal ran to the cock pit and dislodged herself from the ship thanks to her escape pod. The Brill brothers moved quickly to escape.

Jack clapped as Opal's ship was destroyed well above damage range. Haven was safe from humans again. Holly was not happy.

"Strap in everyone. We have heat seeking missiles coming."

"She doesn't let go," Mulch grumbled.

Holly led the missiles to the chute wall. She dodged out of the way at the last second, saving them all. But the missiles did not explode.

"They found another target," Jack said, pointing at the screen. Her face was slightly pale. "The LEP think we just fired at them."

The LEP ship was rid of the weapons with far more ease than Holly. Jack winced, waiting for the ship to return fire. Instead a thin tube went out to meet them. A communications spike. Holly actually smiled. Someone out there must really like her.

"Captain Short," Trouble Kelp's voice called. "I have orders to blast you into a different time zone. Orders I would just as soon disobey. Start talking and give me enough information to save both our careers."

Holly gave a shortened version.

"Very well. That's enough to keep you alive, but as of right now you and all occupants of that ship are under arrest."

"Excuse me," Artemis said, "I don't think you have jurisdiction over humans. It would be illegal to arrest me and my associate."

Trouble sighed. Over the com it sounded like a short burst of static.

"Let me guess. Artemis Fowl and his pet monkey."

"He's not a monkey," Jack protested. "Technically humans belong to the ape family." She turned to look at Butler and winked. He smiled back.

"And Jack Mannheim," Trouble said.

"Hi Trub," Jack said cheerfully. Trouble's youngest brother, Beetle Kelp, had been one of Jack's favorite childhood playmates.

"You people are becoming quite the team. Very well, all humans can consider themselves required guests of the LEP if it makes you feel better. Stand by to be boarded. Retrieval will handle Koboi and her associates."

As much as Holly wanted to be Opal's arresting officer, she decided her position was precarious enough already. For once in her life she decided to obey orders.

"Do you think this will be enough to get the Council to allow you to return to Haven?" Artemis asked Jack.

She shook her head.

"I'll never be allowed to return. I know that now. Besides…" She gave Butler a significant look. "Being human isn't so bad. At least now I'm not alone."

He smiled and nodded in approval as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

The police heaved a collective sigh of relief when Butler decided to go quietly. The detainees were placed in the shuttleport's executive lounge. It was all very civil. Clean clothes for everyone except Butler, good food and even entertainment centers. Of course they were still under guard. Jack and Holly were not smiling as they finally began the process of grieving for Root. Artemis and Butler offered the best comfort they could, but Artemis decided Butler was defiantly better at it than he was.

"Butler…" Jack said. "I think it's time to tell him."

"Tell me what?" Artemis asked.

"Rob, you should hear this too."

"What?"

"Rob… I found my family."

Rob blinked. Then comprehension dawned on him.

"You did? Who?"

Butler cleared his throat and slowly raised his hand. Rob paled and backed away slowly.

"Butler, I didn't know… If I knew she had a family I never would have…"

Butler smiled at the terrified pixie.

"I am not angry with you, Rob. You gave her a life and possibilities I could have never dreamed for her."

"You're her father?" Artemis blurted.

"Yes."

They explained everything. Finally, after half an hour Foaly came in. He wrapped a hairy arm each around Holly and Jack.

"My you're getting tall, Jack!"

"Maybe by fairy standards. I don't reckon I'll ever get very tall by human standards."

"You never know," Butler said. "Juliet was never tall until she was fifteen. Maybe you'll take after her."

"I… what?"

Butler briefly explained to Foaly that he was Jack's father.

"Wow…"

"A hello wouldn't hurt," Mulch sulked.

"Very well," Foaly said pulling his arms from Jack and Holly and putting it around the dwarf and Rob. "Hello there Mulch. Rob. I'm glad to see you all in one piece." His eyes met Artemis. "I see you managed to cheat the mind wipe."

"A good thing too," Jack reminded him.

"Indeed." The centaur shook Artemis's hand. "I'll never try to mind wipe you again. You've become a friend to the People. You and Butler. Who would have guessed?"

"You can repay me by building a room I can stand up in," Butler said from his hunched position on the couch.

"I'm sorry about all this. Sool wants you all kept here until your story is verified. We found the Brill brothers and they've confirmed everything and we found enough of the shuttle to prove it existed. We just have to find Opal now. We know where she is, we just have to get there and that could take a week."

"A week?" Jack paled. "Foaly, I need to contact Momma Catherine. If she calls the cops and reports me as a runaway, I could be looking at more trouble than a mesmer can fix."

"Relax, I can fix a phone call from Juliet's mother so she'll think you're at a slumber party."

Butler looked up in surprise.

"My mother is gone. She died when Juliet was ten."

Foaly looked apologetic as he responded, "Yes, but Jack's foster mother does not know that."

Julius Root's recycling ceremony was the next day, but none of the motley crew was allowed to attend. They could only watch on the television. Holly cradled her head in her hands as she wept. Jack was crying as well. Artemis, sitting between them, placed a hand on Holly's shoulder. He looked at Jack. What did Father do to comfort Mother? He placed an arm around her shoulder and held her close as she cried. Giving physical comfort was not his specialty and he was relieved when Rob offered Jack his arm instead. The young teen wiped her eyes and curled up into the crook of his arm.

"Julius would have been proud," Artemis told Holly. "Because of you, Haven is still here today."

Holly sniffed and half smiled.

"That's nice of you to say. You're not going soft on us are you?"

"I honestly don't know. Half of me still craves the life of crime. The other half wants to be a normal teenager. I suppose in time I'll find a happy medium."

"Don't worry, Mud Boy. I'll keep an eye on you."

"I already have two parents, a body guard…" He looked at Jack nestled against her adopted uncle. "And a very good friend doing that."

Jack smiled back.

Foaly, Sool and a couple of extra guards (incase Butler got agitated) entered the room. Sool was obviously not as happy as Foaly, who went to Holly and took her by the shoulders.

"You're cleared! Clear of all charges! Vote was seven to one in your favor!"

"Let me guess who the one was," Holly said glaring daggers at Sool.

"Rob… your news is not as good."

Rob sighed as he looked at the guards. "No need for the weapons, boys, I'll go quietly. I supposed after what I did to Jack here I can hardly blame them for another one way trip to prison."

"You're not going back to prison. You're being banished. I'm to give you human driver licenses, birth certificate and passport papers. You're going to the surface."

Rob half smiled, but there was very little heart to it. But on the plus side, at least he'd get to be with Jack. Even though she was a human, Rob had long since thought of the girl as his own child.

"And they decided to give you your magic back."

Rob smiled fully. That was good news!

"If Jack wants I can even run up some papers declaring you her legal guardian."

Jack hesitated.

"It's okay, Jack," Butler said. "If you don't want to come back to Fowl Manor, I'll understand."

"Maybe we could try it out for a while. If things don't work out I can always go back with Rob, right?" she added looking at the pixie.

"Of course."

Butler smiled, but secretly he was afraid. He didn't know how to raise a teenager.

"Hey, what about me?" Mulch asked.

"They wanted to go after you with the auto theft, but decided all the time you've done after an illegal search balances things out. No reward, I'm afraid."

"I wouldn't say that," Jack interjected. "I'm still good for the gold I promised."

Mulch smiled. Holly was still glaring at Sool.

"Commander Root told me something before he died. He said, basically, that my job was to serve the People and I should do so any way I can." She took the badge off her arm and threw it on the table. "I can't serve anyone with you watching me like a hawk, so I'm going at it alone. I quit."

"Holly don't," Foaly pleaded. "The force needs you. I need you."

"They thought I killed Julius. I can't work for them now. Don't worry. I won't be far away. Mulch, are you coming? I could use a partner."

"Mulch Diggums, private detective. I like it. So long as I'm not a sidekick."

"You're a full fledged partner. No sidekicks." She turned to Artemis. "We did it again, Mud Boy. Never gets easier does it?"

"Maybe someone else should take a turn."

Holly punched his arm playfully.

"Who else has our style?" She leaned close. "I'll be in touch. Are you interested in possible consultant work?"

Artemis gave a slight nod and a smile. Holly smiled back and turned to Jack.

"Still dealing with self loathing?"

"No," Jack responded. "Not now that I know not all humans are the evil creatures fairies paint them to be. At least I get my fill of fresh air and don't need to worry about getting a visa to perform the ritual."

Holly smiled and hugged her former neighbor. Artemis noticed a slight of hand move from the elf as she slipped something into the girl's tunic.

"Rob, I wish more could have been done."

"Oh Holly, I broke the law and got what I deserve." Rob smiled and put his arm around Jack's shoulders. "At least I finally got my girl back, even if it is just for visiting."

Holly turned at last to Butler. She almost disappeared in his embrace.

"Until the next crisis."

"Or maybe you can just visit."

"Getting a visa is going to be harder now that I'm a civilian."

"Enough! Send them home, now!" Sool ordered.

Tranquilizers hit Artemis, Jack and Rob. Four hit Butler. The police were taking no chances with the giant. Holly caught Artemis by the arm and slipped something into his jacket while she protested.

"They know where the chute is!"

The voices faded into nothingness.

Artemis woke to find himself back in his room. Butler came rushing in. Finding the boy safe and sound, he relaxed. Jack had been undoubtedly returned to Momma Catherine where she would be picked up by Butler. That would be an interesting process to see. Would Jack mesmerize Butler's way out of the red tape need to get her? Most likely.

He felt something vibrate and found the fairy communicator Holly had slipped him. He opened it.

"Hello Holly. Did Jack get home okay?"

"Yes, she and Rob are fine. Foaly got Rob set up in a nice flat in historic down town Dublin. I need some help with a case. An art dealer had a piece stolen and I'm flummoxed so I thought I'd ask the expert."

"Artemis," Butler called as he returned, "your parents are coming up the drive."

"I'll be done shortly." To Holly he said, "Can you call me back? I'm a little busy."

"Five hours Fowl. Then I'll want some answers."

"I'll send you my bill later."

Holly smiled.

"Some things never change."

Artemis locked the communicator in his safe and rushed downstairs. His mother's arm were open and waiting.

**Excerpt from Jackie Mannheim's computer journal: encrypted**

Butler asked Master Fowl. Everything is confirmed. I'll be living in Fowl Manor from now on. Rob told me he thought it was better that I live with him, but Butler didn't want to cut him from my life so I'll be at Rob's flat from time to time as well. It took a lot of mesmerizing to get through all the red tape, but I am no longer a ward of the state.

I know Rob doesn't like pretending to be human, but at least he has his magic. Even he admits it's a perk. Foaly set him up with a nice flat in downtown Dublin and Baya has returned to be his house keeper again. It's more difficult for her, since she's green, but she manages surprisingly well. While she did not like showing him her Book, Baya is very grateful to Artemis for restoring her health and magic two and a half years ago.

I found an interesting article I suspect has a lot to do with Artemis. Apparently someone returned the lost painting _Fairy Thief_ to the Louver with promises of more. He won't admit it, but I know it was Artemis.


End file.
